Eclipsing Eclipse
by Tprinces
Summary: Sequel to NEW NEW MOON. Ever wish there was more plot to SMeyer's versions? Yearning for a more suitable heroine to carry a story and your interests? Disappointed that "Twilight" had no real vampires? Lo and behold! This is how it should have been writen.
1. Simplicity

Welcome one and all! For those of you who have been with me from the beginning, hello again! We're half way there! For those of you who haven't, welcome! This is a sequel to _New New Moon_, and in effect, a sequel to _Twilight the Rewrite_. If you have not read either, it may be best to do so. Or there may be references that you won't get.

With that being said, let's start!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own the Twilight series. If I did... well this is pretty much what I'd do with it.

**ECLIPSING ECLIPSE**

**One: Simplicity**

**T**he gunshot was loud. Not only was it loud, but it lasted. It rang against her eardrums, hanging onto one excruciating note for hours. She wanted to stop it. She wanted to cover her ears and make it go away. But she had no movement in her arms. She began to feel wet. Was it raining? She looked upwards, staring at the gray sky. Raining... yes... raining. She prayed that the storm would drown out the horrid gun shot. It never did. A cold chill ran up her spine and she clutched herself. Then, yet another noise added to the horrible symphony. A scream... not of fear, but of sorrow. Someone was weeping. She searched quickly, remaining where she was. Two figures. Far away. She tried to move, but her body was so heavy... like lead. Weighed down, she groped and stretched, dragging her feet, yelling at them to run. She needed to help whoever it was. She tried to call out, but her voice didn't work. Finally, after prying and scrambling, she made it to their sides. The wailing grew louder, as the one cradling the second figure moaned out in anguish. She couldn't tell who they were, as their backs were turned to her. Her heart began to speed up. She needed to see who these people were. She _needed_ to. She pushed herself further, as though she was walking through a deep pool of water. Slowly, she was able to make out the faces of the people before her. The first was her father. He was screaming, sobbing in agony. His face was read and his mouth hung open as he wailed. Slowly, her eyes trailed to the person he held in his arms.

Her own bloody, dead face stared back at her.

Isabella Swan awoke with a sudden jolt, her face sweaty and her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Her chest rose and fell with jagged breaths, her hands squeezing her blankets so tightly that her knuckles turned white. It took her a while, but slowly, her body relaxed. Almost dreading to find out, Bella turned to look at her clock. It was half past three in the morning. A deflated sigh came from her lungs as she sat up, wiping her face of sweat and tears. Her hands were sore from gripping the sheets. With an aching body, Bella slid from her bed and trudged into the bathroom. She splashed her face with water and allowed her forehead to press against the mirror.

How many times had she had that dream? If it didn't terrify her so much, Bella would have found the repetition irritating. Each night it was different. A different victim, a different mourner. But always two people. Never more, never less. She had started to have the dream after Nickey's pack left Forks. She said very few parting words to the wolves... At the time she thought it best. Now she was starting to think that perhaps it was wrong of her to stay so silent.

Five months ago, things had been so simple. Maybe not by the everyman's standard, but simple for her. She had a boyfriend who cared for her, a best friend who stood by her... Things became complicated the day she turned eighteen. She had begged and pleaded her boyfriend – a vampire by the name of Edward Cullen – to tell his father once and for all that the two were in love. (His family and he were responsible for her survival during a nasty run in with three rogue vampires who had taken a liking to her) He was apprehensive, but for her birthday, he obliged. That was a huge mistake. Not only did Carlisle disapprove, but he moved the entire Cullen clan out of Forks overnight, without even telling Bella where they were going. She was depressed for a little while, but her best friend, a wolf shifter named Jacob Black, helped her to forget and keep living. The both of them already had plans to head up to Seattle, where a photography summer camp had been set up. It presented her with a decent distraction – until the building that they were staying in caught on fire and the camp was canceled.

Neither of them wanting to return home five weeks or so in, they decided to bunk with a gang of werewolves they had bumped into previously. After befriending them, however, Bella soon learned of the people who hunted them. Simply known as "hunters." When things became too dangerous, they retreated to Jacob's reservation in La Push, where they were supposed to remain safe. Along the way, Edward had seemed to escape his father and returned to her, only to realize that she had already started to move on. Particularly with Jacob. She had put off dealing with the complicated tryst in order to focus on trying to help the wolves avoid capture. Unfortunately, not only did she get captured herself, but the relentless hunters managed to kill off the pack's leader, Mac.

Bella's chest clenched. She could still remember that day clearly. She could still hear the howls of mourning by the wolves. Nickey's love lorn cry was worse then the others'. That night replayed in her mind so many times... almost to the point of making her sick. In fact, Bella even threw up a few times because of the memory. No doubt, witnessing Mac's death was the cause of these nightmares. Not to mention the fact that the theories of her own demise haunted her now more then ever.

When she first became interested in Edward – it seemed like ages ago – she had been warned by one of his sisters, Alice, that contact with him would lead to a terrible end. Months later, again on her birthday, the exact same prophecy came from another source; this time, an old gypsy woman whom Bella still didn't know the name of. She was too terrified to return and find out. Who knew what awaited her?

But she supposed she had nothing to worry about now. She wasn't dating Edward _or_ Jacob any longer (though she could hardly count one kiss as "dating"). Things were far too complicated for love. And now... only a week remained before school started up again. When was the last time she saw her friends? Her _normal_ friends? Mike or Eric... Angela or Tyler... Hell, she wouldn't even mind Jessica's ramblings of gossip and rumors.

Jessica... Oh, lest she forget yet_another_ complication...

One of the reasons she drew away from Edward to begin with (other then the fact that she thought he was never coming back) was the fact that there was a very distinct possibility that she could have been nothing more then a substitute for Edward's first love, who killed herself after a decade or so of being a vampire. Before the New Year, Bella discovered that Jessica was actually the descendant of that same girl, Annabell Susan McCleary.

Fun.

Bella let out a bitter laugh, recalling her torment no more then a year ago. That was when her first real boyfriend, Chris, told her that he had cheated on her with her former best friend in Phoenix – her home before moving to Forks. She could remember feeling so angry and dejected... she would give anything to have that naiveté again. Oh how simple things had been... She recalled him stopping by one rainy day in the spring to try and start anew. Then with Edward, she gently turned him away. How different would her life be had she accepted his offer?

Her legs became stiff as she realized that she had been standing in the same place for forty five minutes. No longer tired, she shuffled into her room and threw on her bathrobe. The house creaked as she made her way down the stairs and into the kitchen, her fuzzy slippers making faint shushing sounds beneath her. When she appeared in the kitchen, she got herself a glass of milk and heated it in the microwave. It was still very dark outside, and the kitchen was cool. She flipped on the light, seating herself at the table. Her head throbbed as she rested it in her hand, which was propped up on her elbow against the table top. She listened to the hum of the microwave, hunger crawling along the lining of her stomach. Finally, it beeped, breaking her from her vegetative state. After grabbing her mug from the microwave, she set it aside and grabbed an apple from the fridge. She set it down, sipping her drink.

"Still can't sleep?"

Bella turned to see Charlie Swan, her father, make his way into the kitchen. He smiled kindly, his eyes sympathetic. As far as he knew, her friend had died in a motorcycle accident. The man sat beside his daughter, patting her shoulder. "Have a nightmare again?"

"Yeah..." She ran her finger along the rim of her mug before taking a sip. Her eyes went to the red apple beside it and she sighed, picking at the sticker.

Charlie was silent for a moment. "I know what it's like, you know." She turned her eyes up to her father. "When I was a little older then you, a friend of mine died in a car crash. Drunk driver blind sighted him."

Bella nodded, unable to feel any sympathy. Whether it was because she was suffering from emotional overload or because she hadn't slept in a month and a half, one couldn't be sure. She took another drink of her milk as Charlie patted her shoulder again. "You know," he continued. "You went through something really traumatic... And with the pressure of school and all..." He took a breath before continuing. "I think we should get you some counseling."

Her eyes snapped up, their gaze accusing. "Are you saying I'm nuts?"

"No," said Charlie carefully. "I'm just saying that it might be nice if you had someone to talk to. A neutral third party. I see this all the time, Bella... It's post traumatic stress, and there are people that can help – "

"I don't need help." Bella stood and dumped the rest of her milk in the sink, agitated that her father would even think such a thing.

"Bells..."

"I said I don't!" she snapped. She might have been taking out her frustration on her innocent father, but she didn't much care. She had gone through too much to care anymore. She rounded to him, her eyes glaring. "I'm not crazy, dad."

"I never said you were." He stood, his hands raised in a non threatening gesture. "But usually, when people go through something like that, it's best to get them someone to talk to. So that these repressed emotions don't come spilling out..."

"So what, I'm just another case for you? I'm just another file for your goddamn police station?"

"Of course not. You're my daughter. I only want what's best."

"What's best? What's _best?_" She laughed coldly. "You couldn't _possibly_ know what's best for me, dad! You have _no_ idea what's been going through my head!"

"Then tell me...!" Charlie pleaded weakly. "Tell me so that I can help you..."

"I don't need help!" Bella had an urge to throw her mug across the room, but instead slammed it onto the counter top. "For the last damn time, I'm not crazy, and I _don't_ need some smart-ass doctor picking at my brain!" Fuming, Bella grabbed her apple and stormed up to her room, slamming the door loudly behind her. She locked it roughly and then fell to her bed. For a good half hour, she laid there, listening to the house breathe. She played with the apple in her hands, the moon's silver light giving it a faint halo through her window. Her fingernail trailed down the skin, and she finally peeled off the entire sticker, flicking it to the side. She felt no desire to eat it. So, after staring at it a bit longer, she walked to her window, yanked it open, and threw the fruit as hard as she could. It sored into the night and vanished into the shadows, making a faint "thump" off in the distance.

Once it hit the ground, Bella felt a wave of sadness overcome her. She gently shut the window and made her way back to bed. She felt awful for barking at Charlie like that. But she couldn't help herself. The fact of the matter was he _didn't_ know what was best for her because he simply _didn't_ know the truth. If he did... he'd want to get her more then a therapist. He'd want her in the loony bin. After analyzing her behavior that night, she couldn't say that she blamed him. Bella buried herself into her sheets, pressing the side of her face to her pillow. It was still a bit damp from her nightmare sweat.

She laid awake until sleep once more came to her the minute the sun rose.

Somewhat of a fuddled beginning... but appropriate. Leave me a review!

~T.


	2. Without a Cause

Hello everyone. So here we are again for another chapter!

**Two: Without a Cause**

**B**ella made it a point of avoiding her father after her outburst that morning. She couldn't stand to look at him. Mainly because she knew that deep within her, she wanted desperately to tell him. She wanted someone – anyone – to know what went on during the summer. She couldn't go to Jacob about it because of how awkward things were now. Going to Edward was out of the question. As for her normal friends, one secret could endanger them. And her mother would think her insane, surely. So who then? Who could she possibly talk to? Who could she confide in? Though she spent all day trying to come up with an answer, none came. As she walked into the forest, she felt her heart grow lower and lower. With every step, she realized further and further that she was truly alone.

But then... she had caused this. Her loneliness was of her own devices. She made a choice that day... A choice not to side with either party. She might have already ruined her friendship with Jacob, and attempting to turn back the clock with Edward would be too painful. She wondered vaguely if things would ever go back to the way things were...

Perhaps she should move to Jacksonville with her mother? Sunshine... a fresh start. She doubted there were any vampires in Florida. And she could visit the beach. A beach where it wouldn't freeze her to swim in. Perhaps she could make new friends... new relationships. She began to think of herself with a regular boy, going on regular dates. Perhaps going to college there... getting a decent job. Nothing glamorous.

But she knew that such a life would never please her.

Finally finding herself in the thick of the woods, she sat herself down at the base of a moss ridden tree. Her eyes went to the clearing beside her. She realized then... that this was the exact spot nearly a year ago that she discovered Edward's secret. If she had never gone for a walk that evening, if she had never fallen asleep... If she remembered how to return home. Or brought a compass. If, if, if... How many "if's" could there be? But there was a part of her that could never fully regret knowing... As for Jacob, her knowledge of vampires had clued her in to his secret. If those rogue vampires had never seen her that day after the snowball fight, Jacob might have kept on tricking her. And she might have continued with her life, blissfully unaware of the world beyond her own.

Lost in thought, Bella found a smooth, rounded rock beside her and tossed it against the tree in front of her. She began to replay that fateful night the year before. How angry he looked... and how frightening. She could remember staring at his bloodied fangs... watching in terror as he devoured the deer. Not to mention the fear that plagued her soon after Bella discovered his true nature. But worse then the fear that followed, was the gullibility. By the end of the winter, she was certain that Edward wouldn't hurt a fly given the choice. And yet, less then a month ago, he proved to her that was not the case.

During the fight between the wolves, the Cullens, and the hunters over the summer, Edward had killed a man right in front of her. Jacob had helped. Even the quite Jasper had shown his true colors that night, having caught the scent of her blood.

Monsters. That's what they all were. That's all they ever were. Just monsters.

She picked up a second rock to throw, a sigh escaping her. Just before it hit the tree, however, a pale hand reached out to grab it. Bella blinked, standing quickly. She was once more in the presence of Edward Cullen. Her heart shot up to her throat, but she remained calm. She didn't realize that the sun had set by then. She would need to leave for home soon. But she made no move to leave. Edward held the rock in his hand before letting it fall to the ground below him. He put his hands behind his back, and there was a silence between them.

"So... how are you today?" Bella gave no answer. Edward let a hand run through his hair. "Doesn't school start in a week?"

The human nodded. "Yeah..." There was another pause. "How's Carlisle?"

"Better." He lightly tapped a bit of dirt with the toe of his shoe. "It's gotten to the point where he'll barely speak to me. I don't know what's worse – that or his yelling." Edward gave a faint smile, but Bella did not react. His smile dropped and he leaned against the tree behind him, hands in his pockets. "He told me that he doesn't care what I do anymore... That anything that I do is completely on me. So that if I screw up, I'm detached from the rest of the family."

Bella thought this over. "So... what, he disowned you or something?"

"Just about." Edward slid himself to a sitting position, picking up the same rock he caught. "Carlisle isn't the kind of person to abandon someone... so he's really just alienating me until I either 'come to my senses' or leave."

"Mm." Usually, Bella would say something along the lines of "that's horrible," or "I'm sorry," but her recent apathy did not just apply to Charlie. "So what does that mean? You can do what you want?"

Edward turned up to look at her, and then turned back to the rock. In a bored fashion, he snapped it in half and tossed one of the pieces aside. He began to break it up again and again until they were nothing more then pebbles. "Kind of. I think he wants me to get responsible or some shit like that."

"It couldn't hurt."

Surprised, he turned up to her. "I mean... let's face it, your past actions haven't been the safest ideas in the world. Going to school, dating me... it's all been very risky."

Frowning, Edward tossed away the rubble and stood, his arms crossed. "Oh? Well if you thought it was so dangerous, why didn't you say anything about it?"

Bella merely shrugged. "It was exciting at the time." Now, she was just sort of used to it. Knowing that Edward was a vampire didn't thrill her like it used to. That seemed to anger him slightly.

"That's it? It was exciting?" He huffed and kicked a rock to the side. "Is that the only reason you were ever with me? Because you thought it was _exciting_ to be with a vampire?"

"Isn't that reason enough?" Bella was blatantly lying by this point. Even if Edward hadn't been a vampire, she probably still would have fallen for him. Beneath his rough appearance, she knew that he was a good person. But she wasn't about to tell him this. It was easier to keep him at an arm's length if he hated her. He glared at her, but she remained stoic.

"I guess it is for a shallow little human like you." Those words didn't really hurt as much as they should have. "God I can't even believe that I wanted you back."

"Why did you? There's plenty of girls that can stand in for Annabell. Why not just seduce a new one instead?" That was low. Very low. But Bella didn't care. Edward's eyes narrowed as she said that.

"You're still on that crap? I told you, you're not a substitute! You never were!" But Bella knew he was wrong. Perhaps he wasn't lying intentionally... but she knew he was wrong. She could remember speaking to him while he spoke in his dreams. He had been confessing his love out loud to whomever was there – which happened to be Bella. And when she asked him to reveal who it was in his heart, he said one name: Anna. When Bella didn't answer him, Edward huffed and turned away. "You don't believe me."

"Of course not."

"Of course not," he repeated. "Right, because I kept so much a secret from you when we were together."

"Not the point."

Edward made a frustrated noise and turned away. He paced back and forth, and Bella watched. As the seconds drifted by, Bella's resolve began to break. She felt her head tip downward, her heart growing sad. She hated how depressed all of this was making her, but how else should she feel? Finally, she said: "I'm sorry. That crossed the line..."

She watched as Edward's feet stopped walking. After a moment's pause, he walked forward. Two cold hands were placed on either of her cheeks, tilting her head upwards. Leaning in as if to kiss her, Edward put their foreheads together. Bella's skin grew goose bumps from the cool temperature, but she remained where she was, her eyes closed. She repeated her apology.

"It's all right," he answered. Finally, he drew her into a gentle embrace, and the two hugged. She could feel his hand stroke her hair from behind. "I'm sorry too... so don't feel so sad... ok...?" Bella hesitated, but soon hugged him around the waist. They stood like that for a long moment before she pulled away.

"It's getting late. Dad'll get worried..." She shivered, the contact of the vampire making her body cold. Noticing this, Edward took off his black jacket.

"Here." He placed it in her hands. "You can give it back to me on Monday. I have others."

She blinked and looked up to him. "Monday...?"

"Yeah." He smiled gently. "I'm still enrolled, remember?"

"Well, yes but..." She gripped the jacket tightly before turning her eyes to the vampire.

"Did you not want me to go...?"

She thought about this for a while. Finally, a sigh came to her. "No... it wouldn't be the same if you didn't." Of course, nothing was the same. But there was no real harm in trying to preserve anything she could to try and keep sane. "I guess I'll see you on Monday then."

Edward nodded. There was a pause before he leaned in, kissing her temple. Bella did nothing but stand there. Without saying a proper goodbye, she turned and began to walk home. She made sure that she was out of his sight before putting the coat onto her chilled body.

Another short chapter... but still...

Review!

~T.


	3. Senior Year

So I tried to get this done earlier, but then i had to leave for work. and when i got back, i was so tired that i could barely stay awake. and then when i tried to submit it, it wouldn't let me, so i had to copy and past it onto a chapter that already existed in my documents folder. so here you are.

**Three: Senior Year**

**B**ella was amazed that she was able to get any sleep the night before. Her head was filled with the constant rhetoric of her problems, yammering in both ears. What she wouldn't give to make them just stop. Somehow, going from one problem to the next caused her to exhaust herself, and before she knew it, she was passed out. Her sleep was kind enough to be dreamless. Lord knows she didn't need to see a new dead face the night before school. Or perhaps she did and she just couldn't remember? Either way, she was jerked awake suddenly by the rude wining of her alarm clock. She didn't want to get up. It was warm and comfortable in her bed, and the morning outside her window seemed chilly. Indeed, the clouds were gray and plentiful overhead, just adding to her sluggish attitude. After a moment or two of laying there, she pulled herself to her feet and trudged to the bathroom.

As she readied herself for the first day of school, she moved as though in a trance, having repeated the same routine over and over again. Soon, she was downstairs, where a bowl of cereal was waiting for her. Though she wasn't hungry, she thanked her father and ate it anyway. She could catch the worried looks Charlie gave her from the corner of her eye, but said nothing. She had been evasive ever since blowing up at him the week before. In actuality, she really did feel bad about the whole fight. But she couldn't bring herself to apologize. One thing would lead to another, and she may either reveal too much or get into another fight with the man. However, he said nothing and after saying goodbye, Bella got into her truck and began driving off.

Other then the rickety clacking of the truck around her, the drive was silent. She didn't feel like listening to music, and talking to herself to pass the time just made her seem insane. So she kept her eyes focused on the road, every once in a while checking her mirror. Perhaps it was because she knew that Edward was going to continue going to school, but she began to grow a strange sense of paranoia while driving to school. She wondered how things were going to pan out this way. She knew that nothing good could come from this; it never really did. And yet she couldn't bring herself to turn around.

Finally, she arrived on the lot. The first thing she noticed was a small group of students milling about by a car. A wave of relief washed over her as she recognized the faces. Jessica, Tyler, Eric, Angela, and Mike. Her only human friends. Almost eagerly, Bella got out of the truck and went over to join the group. She hoped that perhaps sticking with them all day would give her a sense of normalcy. One that she had been lacking all summer long. Spotting her, Jessica beamed and held up her hand.

"There you are!" she said brightly. "Ugh, we missed you all summer! Where were you?"

"I had that camp, remember?" Bella responded, trying to repress the bitter memories. "Anyway, sorry for ditching all summer. Did I miss anything?"

"Angela's got a boyfriend," Jessica sang.

As if on cue, Angela's face went bright red, her body going stiff. She pouted her lower lip, looking much like a puppy who got swatted on the tail with a news paper. "He's just a friend..." she defended weakly.

"He's cute!" Jessica continued. "His name's Jason. He's already in college, but he's not too much older. He works in the little coffee shop in Port Angeles. He gave her a free drink, isn't that so sweet?" As Jessica began to yammer on and on about this mystery boy (much to Angela's dismay), Bella smiled and nodded, listening to every word. It was so nice to hear about someone else's uncomplicated happiness. So much so that she actually joined Jessica in trying to convince Angela that she could take initiative. This only embarrassed the shy girl more, but it did allow for the tiniest of smiles to peep out from behind her glasses.

They headed inside as the bell was about to ring. They each had gotten their new schedules in the mail and split ways to try and find their new classes. As Bella headed off on her own, she kept her eyes out. No sign of Edward. She began to worry, if only slightly. Had something happened? He said that he was going to continue coming... so why couldn't she find him? Then again, why should she be worried? He was a big boy; he could make his own decisions. Shaking her head to rid her of the thought, she continued onward. Until –

"Hey."

Bella blinked, turning to see a very familiar face. So familiar, in fact, that it shocked her for a split second. After a moment of silence, she spoke again. "Jacob?"

Jacob Black, her best friend since before they were old enough to spell, stood in front of her. He smiled kindly, a backpack slung over his shoulder, which was hidden beneath a gray sweat jacket. His usually free hair was now in a small braid down his neck, his silver eyes polite. His mouth broke into a toothy grin and he pulled her into a warm hug. Almost as a natural reaction, she returned it. Jacob's presence brought on both a calming affect, and a guilt ridden one. She could remember how she had not so much as given him a chance before casting him away. But... it wasn't her fault...! Yet she still felt remorse bubble in the pit of her stomach. Pulling away, she put on a little smile of her own, her hands behind her back.

"What are you doing here?" she asked. "I thought you went to school at the reservation."

"Well I did," he said. "But Sam and Emily decided to get a little place here in Forks... I elected to come with them. And I still have to go to school, right?"

Bella paused, thinking to herself how incredibly odd this was. "Um... I guess so." She frowned. "Jacob... what's the real reason you're here?"

His smile fell a bit before he frowned off to the side. "Cullen's still going to school here, isn't he?"

"Yes..." Bella began slowly. She paused, thinking things through. "Wait... you're here because Edward's here? Why?"

"His father has cut his tie with the family," said Jacob simply. "Because of that, the treaty that the Cullens and my people have doesn't apply to him. He can break the rules all he wants and it wouldn't affect the rest of them. I'm here to make sure that doesn't happen."

Bella's lips turned downward in disapproval. "Jacob... he's not going to do anything harmful."

"Isn't he?" Jacob asked pointedly. "Just being here endangers himself. What if someone skins their knee, or gets a nosebleed?"

"He's got enough control."

"And what if he looses his temper?"

Bella opened her mouth to reply, but paused. Edward did indeed have a bit of a temper. True, those few times that he lost himself, he held back. But was it because he didn't want to hurt anyone, or because he knew that it would endanger his family? It made her insides turn cold at the prospect. Bella looked up as a hand was placed on her shoulder. Damn if Jacob hadn't grown another few inches.

"Don't worry," he said kindly. "I'll make sure he doesn't loose it, ok? It's what I'm here for."

"I'm flattered."

A thrill shot up her back as Bella heard the distinct drawl of the vampire they were talking about. Turning, she saw Edward himself move up to the two of them, Jacob's eyes flashing silver, Edward's own a deadly gold. Bella took a step back, allowing the two to stand eye to eye with one another. Edward folded his arms, his face hard and full of sarcasm beneath his black hood. "How nice that the Quileutes think I'm important enough to monitor. I'm touched."

"Don't think we're doing you any favors," Jacob replied. "I'm only here to make sure you don't fly off the handle and take a little taste of the student body here."

"I think I'm capable of handling myself, thanks. And besides... you're the one with the temper, Cudjo. Not me."

At that remark, Jacob flared, and Bella feared that the two would get into a fist fight on the first morning of school. Quickly, Bella grabbed Jacob's arm, turning him away from the vampire. "The bell's going to ring soon," she said miserably. "Where's your schedule? I'll take you to your first class..." Without passing her eyes in Edward's direction, she pulled Jacob down the hallway, praying the two would have as little contact with one another as possible.

Sorry this is such a short chapter... but I think it's an appropriate set up.

Leave those reviews! How long do you think it'll take the boys to get into a fight?

~T


	4. Basketball and Gym Shorts

(Edit: Holy hell, what was with this chapter? I'm usually too lazy to go back and edit, but the typos were really bothering me...)

H3llos everyone... ...holy hell. That three was a mistake. But it looks awesome, so i'll be keeping it in. Anywho, thanks again for the reviews. Let's continue, shall we?

Oh, and on a side note – Tate Publishing is going to review a manuscript for my original story, _Personal Demons. _So if things go well, you may be seeing more of my writing pretty soon :3

**Four: Basketball and Gym Shorts**

**G**ym had never been a favorite of Bella's. Perhaps it was the fact that she had about as much coordination as a three year old, or the fact that she could never keep the games straight. But whatever the reason, Physical Education was always a class she found irritating. Not so much dreaded, as it wasn't the most horrible thing in the world. In fact, back in Phoenix, she could often sneak away to read a book while the others played. She soon found out that this was not the case in Forks, however. But she could survive. This year, PE was just before lunch. For the last three classes, she still had yet to see Edward. Jacob also was in none of her previous classes, but that was to be expected; he was a year younger then her, after all. In any case, that late morning, she found herself in the locker room, dressing out for the first day of gym class. Jessica kept going on and on about Angela's new supposed boyfriend. Though Angela didn't agree with her, she didn't fight her much either. Bella thought it was nice that someone had an interest in the girl. She was so shy as it was... Maybe a boyfriend would get her to open up more? She slipped into her uniform, pulled her hair into a pony tail, and marched out into the gymnasium as everyone else did. Waiting for her was the boy portion of the class. Within that portion, two very familiar faces caught her eye immediately.

It was bad enough that Edward and Jacob could barely stay in the same room together. But putting them in the same gym class...? It was practically sadistic. Indeed, both boys were staring in her direction, wearing the same uniform as everybody else. The image shocked her almost to the point of keeping her frozen where she stood.

Mulling near the right was Jacob. His hair was still braided, and he wore a pair of worn out tennis shoes beneath his PE shorts. He stood taller than most of the other boys, Mike having already struck up a bit of a conversation with him. It was remarkable to Bella how the grungy, gray clothes almost seemed to complement his figure. His visible legs, though slightly hairy, were well shaped and the same, russet color as the rest of his skin. And with the short sleeves, his toned arms were even more visible. These and other features seemed to pop out loudly, especially because of who was standing a few feet behind him.

Though Bella had seen Edward naked plenty of times before, and admittedly she did not mind his pale complexion, Edward looked almost like a scarecrow in comparison to the shape shifter. His white legs sat beneath his shorts, gangly and awkward. Because they were inside, he didn't need to wear anything very protective. His bare arms hung at his sides in a strange fashion, and his sunken, gold eyes seemed to pop out without the shade of a hood protecting him.

Both seemed to spot her at the same time. Jacob gave a wave and a smile, where Edward merely nodded before turning his eyes away. Bella waved to both of them before joining the others. Jessica found her immediately, grinning from ear to ear.

"Bella...!" she said in a teasing voice. "You didn't say that Mr. Hottie was going to be coming to school with us!"

Bella frowned at Jessica's crude nickname for Jacob (there would be no way she could be talking about Edward). "I didn't know until this morning. Why, what does it matter?"

"Well duh!" she said, pushing Bella's shoulder. "He totally likes you!" Bella groaned inwardly. Why couldn't Jessica just focus on Angela's romantic life? "You broke up with Creepo, right? You two should totally get together!"

"Jessica, please." She stretched her legs, as did everyone else. "Jacob and I are just friends."

The blond snorted. "Honey, he is too gorgeous to be kept at 'just friends'." She turned to watch Jacob, who was twisting his body in all sorts of stretches. Edward didn't exactly follow suit. Instead, he just stood there, hands in his pockets. Jessica made some kind of hungry noise. "If I was in your shoes," she said, "mm mm... I would grab that boy before he had a chance to blink."

Bella's frown grew deeper. Jessica's comment bothered her for two reasons. For one, she didn't like her friend oggling her best friend, and two... "What about Mike?" she asked, somewhat pointedly.

"Huh?" Jessica turned, her eyes a bit dazed. "Oh! Mike, right..." She laughed a bit. "Oh, Mike's cute, don't get me wrong... Besides, it's not like I'm going to try and _cheat_ on him or anything. Just because I have a meal doesn't mean I can't stare at the menu, you know?"

Angela and Bella looked at one another. They both silently agreed that they were irritated with Jessica's attitude.

Finally, after the class stretched, they were separated for teams in basketball. It was a common favorite of the gym teachers, as it was a good game to play in side. In any case, it was better then volley ball – whenever they played that horrendous game, Bella always came out with red arms. Bella wound up on the team with Edward, who looked just about as ready to play basketball as she did. Jessica wound up on Jacob's team. The girl flirted with him – in front of Mike no less. Bella huffed but got herself ready to play.

"He doesn't mind the attention, does he?" Bella turned to Edward, who looked over at Jacob, almost with a sort of apathetic disgust. While Jessica tried to strike up a pleasant conversation, Jacob merely smiled politely and nodded, trying to keep focused on other things. Edward sniffed, his thin arms folded along his chest. "He's going to endanger our secret more than I am," he mumbled beneath his breath.

Ignoring him, Bella turned back to the gym teacher, who passed one of the boys the ball. With a blow of the whistle, the game began. For most of the class, Bella did try to avoid the ball, but there would be times where it would be in her position. She would get rid of it as soon as she could. Edward and Jacob seemed to balance her out.

Where as Edward didn't so much as try, as he just stood off to the side, watching them go back and forth with dull eyes, Jacob was very much into the game. He passed, he dribbled, he shot hoops. Many of the other boys were starting to take a liking to Jacob. Some even told him that he should try out for the team. Jacob said he'd think about it. About half of the game in, one of his team accidentally pushed the ball out of bounds. Jacob retrieved it and looked along Bella's team to see who to give it to. His eyes landed on Edward and a smirk came to his lips. Bella felt anxiety grip her.

"Your ball," he said, giving a sharp toss to the vampire. Edward caught it out of reflex, but blinked in surprise. The others gathered round, waiting for him to actually do something. Jacob kept his devious grin, a bit of his hair having slipped from his otherwise tight braid. Bella knew what he was trying to do. Was he insane? The last thing that they needed was to be instigated by one another. With her stomach in knots, she quickly sprinted forward.

"Here," she said, holding out her arms. Edward stared at her for a moment before turning back to Jacob. She could see him accept the shifter's challenge without saying a word. This made her nearly sick with worry. Edward bounced the ball to Jacob, who caught it and bounced it back in a check. She looked between them worriedly. All around, people sensed the tension in the air, and waited for the spectacle that was to come. In her mind, Bella pleaded them both to keep things under control.

Edward moved onto the court, dribbling the ball once for every step. Jacob followed him slowly. A few boys complained, shouting at Edward to move quicker. But neither of them cared. They kept their eyes locked on one another, the basketball much like the steady heartbeat of a beast, or the even rhythm of a drum. They moved with one another, much like two dogs ready for a fight. Finally, Edward jerked to the side, Jacob following his quick movement. There was a pause as they were still. Edward glanced at the basket before bolting towards it. At human speed, thankfully. Jacob did the same, the two neck and neck as they headed for the basket. Bella watched from a far, her hands clutched tightly together as they rushed. Just as Edward shot, however, Jacob snatched it from the air and headed straight for the other basket.

People actually got out of the way as they raced for the opposite side. The others didn't bother trying to interfere. The disdain that they had for one another was clear. Anyone who got in the way might as well have been bulldozed. But before Jacob got to the free throw line, Edward quickly grabbed it, mid-dribble. Once again, they were off to the first side of the court.

Edward seemed to pour on the steam a little more, moving about a foot or so further then Jacob. This time, he was able to get the shot, as he faked left, spun right and tossed it through the hoop. Jacob glared at him before grabbing the ball. Edward merely shrugged, a Cheshire grin on his face. After checking it to the vampire, Jacob rushed into the court with the ball. He zig zagged back and forth with the object, his hair flying in every which way. Some of the students went so far as to actually sit down and watched.

Jacob looked as though he was going to continue, but quickly changed directions, shooting from the three pointer line. He, like Edward, got nothing but net. The students began to actually cheer and laugh, some of them betting on who would win. Bella just watched helplessly, trying to keep her eye on anything that would arouse suspicion.

And so, they went back and forth, back and forth. Not even the teacher minded that no one else was playing. Most people cheered for Jacob, but a lot of them cheered for both sides. The ball was moving so fast, it looked much like a streak of orange, passing between the two. The points added up, but Bella wasn't counting. They went back and forth, back and forth, back and forth... Until –

_Thud!_ Jacob went stumbling backwards, landing on the floor. It had happened so quickly that no one really saw what transpired between the two. From what Bella could tell, he tried to get too close, and either lost his balance or was pushed. Edward stared at Jacob for a split second before pointing and turning to the teacher.

"Foul!" he said firmly. "He tried to grab me!"

"What?" Jacob hopped to his feet, storming over to Edward. Bella rushed to the two of them, already seeing the flash of silver in his eyes. "Are you nuts? You pushed me away!"

"Well that wouldn't have happened if you kept your distance!"

"I was at a perfectly fine distance, you asshole!" Bella tugged at Jacob's arm, looking between them frantically.

"Guys, stop!" she begged. "It's just a stupid game!"

But they didn't listen. Dropping the ball, Edward pushed Jacob by his chest. The shifter growled and lurched for Edward, only to stop half way. Bella stood in between the two, blocking them from each other. She didn't yell or scold them. She just looked up, her eyes begging them to stop before they did something they would both regret. The two boys stared at one another. Jacob was panting and sweaty, but Edward had kept his body cool through most of it. After wiping his brow, Jacob huffed and turned, storming off to the bathroom. Bella heard a relieved sigh behind her. She turned to see Edward weakly smiling at the girl. "Thanks for the back up..." But Bella did not reply. She just left him, marching off to the girl's locker room.

How in the world were they supposed to coexist? They nearly took one another's head off on the first day of school! She rubbed her eyes, frowning. As she slid into the locker room, she began to think of a few things. She could bring Carlisle's bell... if she knew where it was. Damn. What else then? She couldn't quite ask for help. The Cullen family was mad enough with Edward as it was. Or... at least Carlisle was. So what then? How could she possibly try to monitor the two?

Moaning, she sat on the bench, putting her head in her hands. This was going to be a very long year.

So tell me – when do you think their next fight will be? Do you think they'll ever grow up? Or no?

Leave me those reviews!

~T.


	5. A Visit

Well, Tate Publishing didn't bite, but perhaps American Publishing will. Time will tell, I guess.

And to those who are waiting for a little bit more excitement, bare with me. I know it's meandering a little bit, but give me the benefit of the doubt. I promise you won't be disappointed.

**Five: A Visit**

**F**or one long, excruciating month, Bella watched as Edward and Jacob practically went tooth and nail on everything. Edward happened to be in Bella's English class, which was just after P.E., and so Bella often had to hear about how terrible Jacob was. How he was pompous with an ego the size of a boat. In fact, gym time with these two hardly ever put Edward in a good mood. The only time he was happy succeeding gym was if he actually beat Jacob in some way. Whether it was because Jacob's overzealous competitive nature got him into trouble, or he got a few more points then the shifter, what ever victory came Edward's way, he took it. As for Jacob, he was the same way. If not worse. Whenever it was too sunny for Edward to come to school, Jacob would gloat about, laughing louder then he needed to, making snide remarks about the vampire that were so tongue-and-cheek, Bella didn't care to even repeat them. Of course, he said most of this behind Bella's back. Even so, Bella heard most of them any way. Whether it was from Mike or from the echos, Bella heard whatever Jacob said. Their squabbling often got them into trouble. But neither requested to leave the class. Jessica seemed to have a delusion that the two didn't want to leave the class because Bella was in it with them. Bella, however, knew better. If one were to leave the class, the other would regard them as being no better then a coward. Home life did not improve either.

Things around Charlie grew more and more awkward as time went on. Frequently, the man tried to get Bella to see reason. At the very least, he wanted her to make an appointment to see the school councilor. Bella would hear none of it. She wasn't crazy and that was that. Whenever Charlie brought up the topic, Bella would shoot him down without hesitation. What did he know, anyway? If he was in her situation, she was certain that he wouldn't want to talk to anyone either. Of course, this mode of thinking got them into fights. Before this, Bella hardly ever fought with her father. Perhaps a bit of bickering here and there, but never full on battles. But lately, Bella had felt as though she was fighting the entire world. Her father, her friends, her closest friends... she even found herself fighting her own mind. Indeed, all this inner turmoil was making her argue with herself. Sometimes to the point of going mad. Not to mention that this sort of environment seemed to be fuel for her nightmares.

She now had them almost every night. The only evenings she didn't have them was when she was far too exhausted to dream. The began to grow more real, more feasible in her mind. They also began to do different things. Now, it wasn't just a victim and a mourner. Now, those two changing figures were overseen by dark shadows. Dark shadows with bright, red eyes. The kind of eyes that chilled her bones and made her whimper. Sometimes, those dark shadows would glide towards her, running their hands along her body. They whispered in a tongue she could not understand, and drowned her within their circle. Once it got so bad that she actually woke up screaming.

Finally, the end of the first month arrived. As she drove home, she felt buzzed. Her mind was warn and blank, and her body felt very heavy. She just wanted to lay down for the rest of her life and never get up. She sighed to herself as she sat in the driveway, her head lolled against the back of her seat. Charlie wasn't home yet. He'd still be at work today. She supposed this was a good thing. Bella could have some peace and quiet before he started going on about how she needed to see a shrink. Not to mention that she didn't have the stamina to fight today.

After a moment or two of sitting there, she got out of the truck and trudged into her home, yawning as she did. She still had to work on her paper that was due that Monday. Though she supposed a little nap wouldn't hurt her. She pulled out her keys and was about to unlock it, when she heard a voice.

"Good afternoon."

Bella practically jumped out of her skin. Quickly, she turned and looked around her, heart hammering. She saw no one. But that voice... She knew that voice so well. "Alice!?" she called, somewhat terrified.

"Up here, dear." With a knot in her throat, Bella looked up. There sat Alice, upside down on the roof of the porch. He cloak was kept tightly around her bony body, her short hair standing on end. Bella felt those gold eyes sear through her body as she smiled. Alice turned and crawled along the ceiling and down the wall, much like a lizard would, before standing on the floor and straightening herself out. Out of habit, Bella moved her hand to her neck, only to remember that she no longer wore her mother's silver cross. Alice saw this and cocked a slim eyebrow.

"There's no need to fret," she said simply. "I've already fed this week, so I'm not hungry." Alice was a small creature, but incredibly deadly. She had a thin, willow frame and sharp face, her cheekbones high and propionate. Currently, she wore a cloak of dark, emerald green to hide herself from the small amount of sunlight above the gray clouds. She paused before turning to the door. "Aren't you going to let me in?" Bella considered this. She stared at the door and back to her. Slowly, she shook her head. This caused Alice to frown. "Must I seduce you for everything, girl?" A thrill shot up Bella's spine.

That was right... if she really wanted, all she had to do was seduce Bella into letting her inside. With that as her motivation, Bella quickly unlocked the door and stepped inside. "You can come in," she muttered, her eyes turned down. Alice did so, thanking her. She stepped inside, pulling her hood from her dark brown hair. "Hm... Quite a charming little home," she remarked lightly. Bella was tempted to ask her if she wanted something to drink, just to be a smart ass. But, considering that she could kill her if she wanted, she refrained.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, keeping a safe distance away from Alice. The vampire turned her piercing eyes towards her before turning back and sliding into the living room. "Come to warn me about my appending death? Not that it matters. Edward and I aren't together, so your little prophecy won't come true."

"Won't it?" She paused and looked over her shoulder. Bella wasn't sure how to answer that. A smile curled along her thin lips. "It wasn't much of a prophecy anyway. Just something that crossed my mind." That made Bella angry. Just something that crossed her mind, was it? Or was Alice just trying to save a little face? How charming.

"What do you want?" she asked pointedly. "I've got a paper to do, so I'm very busy."

"Hm..." Alice didn't seem to care. She walked over to the mantle piece and pulled up an old school photo of Bella, letting her fingers trail down the glass. The human got a very creepy feeling as she stared at her fourteen year old face of herself looked up to Alice. After her long fingers trailed down the picture, she set it back in place before turning to her. "How is my brother doing?"

This caught Bella off guard. She blinked several times before frowning. "He hasn't killed anyone," she said. "Or had a snack. He's fine." She folded her arms. "If that's all you wanted to know, why didn't you just go to him about it?"

"He doesn't live with us any more," said Alice simply. "Besides, Carlisle would be angry if we tried to contact him. He's still furious with Edward for betraying his family."

Normally, Bella would have felt sympathy for Edward. She would have thought how sad it was for him to be separated from his family. But her heart was too full and too tired to think any such thoughts. "Well he's doing fine," she said shortly.

"And the shifter?"

"Jacob's fine too."

"Fine... Everyone is fine then. Fine, fine..." She repeated Bella's words a couple of times as she stepped around the room. Her bony fingers trailed along the wall paper, her eyes taking in everything in the room. Bella began to feel even more uncomfortable.

"Alice," she began, "if you really don't like me, why do you keep coming to me? I'm sure you really didn't need an update on Edward." She paused before turning once again to her.

"Didn't I?" She didn't elaborate. Despite the appending danger of this very frightening vampire, Bella grew irritated with her riddled speech.

"For God's sake, just get out!" Bella went over to the front door and held it open. Alice remained "Go on! And from now on, you can't come in to my house anymore!" Suddenly, Alice's face changed. Her eyes bugged out of her head, and her body began to shake. It was a moment before Bella realized that she was frightened. But of what? Surely Bella's yelling wasn't enough to scare her. She was about to ask why she was so frozen when Alice dropped to her knees. Bella just stood there, in awe of what was happening. Soon, that awe turned to horror.

Alice began to bleed. Not in one designated area – everywhere. Blood poured from her eyes, her scalp, her lips and her ears. Her shoulders dripped bright red, seeping through her emerald cloak. She began to gasp for breath, sounding as though she had lost the ability to breathe. The whites of her eyes began to turn pink, and her skin started going a sickening, brittle gray. Almost as though it was turning to ash. She looked up to Bella, her mouth open and bloody, as she fought for air. Slowly, Bella moved forward. She could not take her eyes away from Alice's tortured ones. What in the world was happening? As Alice gasped and sputtered, she held out a shaking hand to the floor, pushing out one finger. With her blood, she began to write – Y... OU... CA... N... C... OM... E... However, she trembled so badly that her body fell to the side. She gripped herself panting and coughing up blood. Bella then realized what had happened.

"You can come in!" she said quickly. Alice suddenly regained her breath, falling to the floor completely. She panted, her limbs laying limply at her sides. Though the bleeding had stopped, what had already been shed still lingered. Bella felt her heart thump rapidly in her ears as she stared at the vampire. Was this all because she said "you can't come in"? She didn't know such a thing would happen. The bitter, jaded part of her realized that this gave her some kind of power. Particularly over Alice. But as the creature pushed herself up and darted a glare towards her, that feeling vanished instantly as she scrambled backwards, fear gripping her. Alice stood, towering above her as she licked the blood from her arms after wiping it from her face. Bella began to mutter, suddenly thinking that Alice was going to kill her for such an act. However, she held up her hand, stopping Bella's whimpering. Her eyes were considerably darker now. She would have to feed again to regain what she had lost.

"You didn't know," she said simply. After wiping off the rest of her face, she turned back to Bella, who carefully stood. "Just... don't say that from now on. It's a real bother when your food is pushed out through your skin." Bella nodded, staring at the blood. How in the world was she going to clean this up? "Bleach," said Alice, before she could ask. Bella looked up as she continued. "Bleach gets the blood up well." She frowned at her cloak. "Though it ruins clothes... Oh well... I suppose I could get a bit of baking soda for this..." She paused. "That is what is used for stains, isn't it? Baking soda?"

"I... guess." Bella shifted. She felt like she should say sorry. But what should she be sorry for? She didn't know, first of all, and secondly, she shouldn't care. Alice was more trouble then she was worth, as far as Bella was concerned.

"Mm." Alice readjusted herself to try and look a bit more noble before turning. "Well... I suppose this means I should take my leave. But Bella..." Her own name sent shivers up her spine. Alice looked over to her. "Just remember... the future changes. Try to keep aware of yourself." With that, Alice left, leaving Bella standing beside a pool of her blood.

So there we are. Later on, we'll be learning more about Alice.

Question of the week: What do you think Alice's past is?

Leave those lovely reviews!

~T.


	6. Advice and Black Prose

YES! All right, ladies and gents. (or... probably just ladies) It's finally happening. Finally, after all this time... I'm actually getting published! No shit! American Publishing wants to make _Personal Demons_ into a reality! So, once the books come out either in stores, on Amazon or both, I'll let you guys know!

**Six: Advise and Black Prose**

**S**lowly but surely, things began to turn to a somewhat normal pace. As October began to rear its head, Bella had become used to this daily grove that she had found herself in. Edward and Jacob still bit at each other's heals, though it seemed like they had grown tired of it lately. Something that Bella was very grateful for. She had also found ways of evading Charlie when needed. She'd either sneak out into the woods and read, or lock herself in her room and think. Charlie didn't seem to bother her as much, either. Of course, there were still the occasional fights here and there, but it had become a bit old hat by this point. As for Angela, this mystery boy now called her from time to time. Often, she didn't even tell Jessica about the calls, as they both knew what her reaction would be. In fact, if she knew that this Jason boy was calling the girl at least four times a week now, she'd probably tell Angela to have his children. Instead, Bella found out from Angela herself, who seemed to think that Bella was a much better confidant then the loud-mouthed Jessica. Bella was thankful in a way. Hearing about Angela's situation... it was soothing. It almost got her smiling as naturally as she once did. A normal girl meeting a normal boy on the verge of starting a normal relationship... it was therapeutic for Bella. In fact... many times she found herself almost envious of Angela's situation. It didn't make her angry at the girl, but she found herself imagining what it would be like to be in her shoes. Or if Edward was fully human. Or Jacob for that matter. And so, with each new tidbit of information, Bella began living through Angela. She gave her advice that she herself would take, often urging her (kindly, mind you) to speak to him more often, or call him once or twice. It was after lunch one day when the two were discussing just that.

"It's obvious he likes you," said Bella with a wide grin. "Why don't you ask him out or something?"

Angela flushed horribly. "I couldn't do that," she said, fixing her glasses. "What if he says no? Just because he's called me a lot..."

"What are you so nervous about? Most guys don't call, you know that."

Shifting, Angela paused before continuing on. "But... why would he like me? I'm not all that pretty... I don't stand out like Jessica does... And it's not like I'm as smart as you..."

Bella waved it aside. "Angela, that's nonsense. You're _way_ smarter then I am. Do you remember when we had Geometry together? You got near A's on all your tests. I was lucky to even pass."

She clutched her books to her chest. One that was a bit more developed then Bella's, who had resolved to accept the fact that she may never grow breasts. "But that doesn't count... Plus you're a lot braver then me."

"What do you mean? You're just as brave..." But Angela shook her head.

"You remember last winter when Jessica fell through the ice?" Bella blinked. It had been a while since she thought about that day. It was in another life.

"Yes," she began carefully. Angela let her head fall and she stared at her shoes.

"I was so scared I couldn't even move. But you jumped in without thinking about it."

Bella frowned. "Angela, that wasn't bravery, that was me being stupid. The weight of my clothes made me sink. If Mike hadn't jumped in after us, we'd both be dead." Of course, there was no way she could factor in the angry vampire that had pulled Jessica into the water, so it'd be best to just leave that part out.

Angela looked up with wide eyes. "But what about you talking to Cullen?" she insisted. "I could never do that. Let alone date him."

A shock hit Bella's heart at that statement. "Well..." In fact, she doubted anyone would really do what she did in that situation. Anyone with half a brain, at least. But again, to say that she was just being stupid, she would have to include the reason that Edward was actually a dangerous vampire, so instead, she just told her: "That's different."

"Why?" Angela shifted her book. "You talk to boys so easily. I can barely get a word out when I'm face to face with Jason. I even have trouble on the phone."

"Again, it's different."

"Why though?"

_Because Jason's human. _"It just is." Bella paused before smiling and pulling Angela into a friendly hug. "Come on, Angela... You have to have faith in yourself. Trust me... I know that if you just bite the bullet and ask him to dinner, you won't regret it." Angela pushed her glasses back up to her red face. However, she was obviously thinking about it. She then put on a sheepish smile and looked up to her friend.

"All right then... I'll ask him tonight." Bella nodded and rubbed her back.

"Great! I'm so proud of you!" She beamed before pulling back.

"Well," she said, "I have to get to class. I'll see you later, Bella!"

Bella waved as Angela headed off to her class. With a little smile, Bella moved to her own, which happened to be English. The teacher wasn't in yet, but the door was unlocked. So, she pushed it open and took a step inside. She paused, blinking.

Edward Cullen was sitting at his desk, scribbling a few things down in a notebook. He looked up as she wondered inside, closing the book he was reading from. "Hi," he said simply.

"Hi." Bella walked to her own seat, which was half way across the room from his. There was a silence. While she looked at him, he stared at his notes. Though it didn't look like he was reading; his eyes weren't moving. "Um... Are you doing some last minute notes?"

"Hm? Oh." He flipped the book back open to where he was reading before. "Eh... not really. It's not much of an assignment."

"What is it? What are you doing?" Edward shifted awkwardly.

"You're going to laugh."

"No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No I'm _not_." With that, Bella got up and headed straight for Edward, eyes curious. "Show me." He quickly covered both the book and his own notepad, putting his head on his arms. Bella frowned, folding her own against her chest. "Come on, show me."

"Make me."

Huffing at such a childish answer, she began to try and pry his arms from the desk. They wouldn't budge. Irritated, she looked around. Almost immediately she found the teacher's old fashion letter opener. Grabbing it, she held it up to her finger and turned to him. He lifted an eyebrow. "What are you doing?"

"Do it or I'll prick myself," she sniffed. "That'd be bad for you, right?"

He stared at her, almost agape. "Are you serious? What, you're ready to risk me eating you in order to see what I'm working on?" He rolled his eyes then and pulled away from his scribbles. "Fine, you crazy girl. Read." Setting the opener down, Bella walked over to the desk and looked at the words he had written. But the more she stared at the handsome scroll, the more she felt lost. She had no idea what it all meant. She then looked at the book he was reading from. It read: _The Best of AC/DC_. After looking at it for a moment, she opened it back to the song: "Back in Black."

"I was bored," Edward explained. "So I figured I'd make a story based on the song." He leaned against his chair, crossing his arms in embarrassment. "Go ahead and laugh. I know it's stupid."

"Oh..." Bella looked at the notes again. She supposed now she could look at them as plot notes. She smiled, admiring his cursive hand. Bella turned back to the vampire. "I want to read it when it's done."

Edward seemed surprised. "...Really?"

"Sure. Why not?" She set them both down and went back to her seat. "I've never read a story based on a song before. It should be interesting." Bella sat herself down, taking out her English books. Edward was staring at her. It got to the point where she could actually feel his eyes tickling her skin. She frowned at him. "What? You don't want me to read it?"

"No, it's not that..." He tapped the desk. "I don't know..." He then chuckled a bit, continuing to scribble down notes. "I guess with everything that's happened... I wouldn't think you'd be so eager to be apart of my life again."

For some reason, that statement caused Bella to blush. "Who said I wanted to be apart of your life again?" she remarked, a bit coldly. "All I want to do is read your story." Edward snorted in laughter, making Bella ruffle hotly.

"Oh yeah, sure. That's why your blood is pumping loudly."

"It is not!"

"What, are you kidding? I can hear it from here. Instead of doing this..." He knocked on his table in a steady beat, almost like a heart. "It's doing this." He then hit it rapidly, sounding almost like a wood pecker. Bella tossed her hair to the side, trying to seem nonchalant about the whole thing. It was a bit difficult.

"Whatever. Just let me see your stupid story when you're done."

"Oh, so now it's my _stupid_ story. I thought it was going to be interesting to you."

"Shut up."

He laughed a bit louder. "Just for that, I'm writing you into it."

"What?" Her heart seemed to go faster. "What do you mean, you're going to write me into it?" But Edward didn't explain. Instead, he just hummed the tune of the song itself, scribbling down note after note.

No matter how much Bella demanded or pleaded, Edward refused to tell her who she would be in his story.

There we are, another chapter! Now, I apologize for getting this to you late at night, but I'm writing this at Grandma's, who has no internet. So I had to wait until I got back home to do so.

In any case... New question! Who do you think Bella will be in Edward's story? Leave your answer in the review!

~T.


	7. Shadows

Hello everyone! Yes, this is an actual update. I'd like to thank you all for your patience. As for my real book, it's out and ready to be bought. You can see it here: publishamerica . net / product 91477 .html No spaces, of course.

Anyway, let's get on with it shall we?

**Seven: Shadows**

**F**or two long months, Bella seemed to survive school. The bickering, the pettiness, the back and forth arguments... And this was only concerning Jacob and Edward, mind. Though time was passing, Bella's mind was not healing. The thoughts of confusion and depression were just as constant, if not more frequent, then before. Her nightmares not only remained, but actually increased in terror. Now, not only did she come across a dead loved one, but she now dreamed visions of monsters, usually circling the two figures. They were dark, for the most part, with eyes as red as shining blood. They never spoke, and if they did, it was in a language that Bella did not understand. That seemed to make them all the more frightening. And made Bella twice as wishful for insomnia. Her nightmares weren't a chanced thing anymore, either. Now, she was bound to have a nightmare, no matter how tired she was. It got so bad that she actually started to see these dreadful creatures in the daytime. Though usually, it was just an oddly casted shadow or whatnot. If it wasn't for her friends, Bella doubted that she'd be able to survive school at all.

Indeed, the only good ting about the past days were her friends by her side. If it wasn't for them, their playful squabbling and whatnot, Bella might have gone truly insane. It was easy to get lost in their conversations, wondering what they would do that weekend, or if the weather was good enough for a beach bonfire. Every opportunity she could, she joined them on outings. The amount of trips she took to Port Angeles within two months was more than the amount that she took over the past year. She was beginning to know the shops by heart at this point. What they sold, who the shop keepers were, and so on. She visited every single one a hundred times over, bouncing along for the ride with Jessica and Angela. Finally, she was able to see this mystery boy that Angela had been secretly swooning over. She had to admit, he was pretty cute. With gentle eyes and dirty blond hair, he often smiled wide whenever Angela stepped into his coffee shop. Acting as a savior of sorts for her friend, Bella often shooed Jessica away, distracting her at the book store across the street so that Angela would have some time to speak with the boy, without Jessica hovering over her shoulder like a vulture.

Soon, Halloween rolled around. Bella noticed that Forks seemed to considerably enjoy Halloween more then Phoenix did. Probably because of different atmospheres. In any case, as the night grew nearer, Bella counted decoration upon decoration, allowing herself to get lost in the childishness of the appending holiday. So of course, she was more then happy to accept the invitation to join her friends for a light night outing on the 31st. As usual, they would head out to Port Angeles. But this time, they'd be in costume. Speaking of which –

"I don't have anything to go as," Bella said, suddenly remembering her costume from last year. A store bought witch's outfit with just a little bit of eye make up. It was, for lack of a better word, lame. Last year, however, she had been in Phoenix for Halloween, so she was thankful that her friends hadn't seen the thing. She'd never hear the end of it. Jessica, ever on the look out for an excuse to shop, brightened.

"We'll get you something this weekend!" she beamed, arms on the table top. "Maybe a sexy little nurse? Ah, you'd need to pad your front out a bit though."

Bella blushed, consciously gripping her sweater. "So I'm a little flat," she pouted. "So what?" She looked enviously at Jessica's own rounded bosom, but the girl didn't seem bothered by it. Bella looked back up. "Besides, I don't really want to be a sexy anything."

"Why not?" said Jessica brightly. "I think you'd be adorable with those big platform heels! Oh, and a short little nurse dress!"

"I don't want to be a nurse though."

"Why not?"

"Well..." She shifted. "What are you going as?" Jessica smiled, flipping her sandy hair to the side.

"Angel," she said loftily. She gave Mike a mirth filled look as she smirked. "With a poofy white skirt that barely reaches my mid-thigh."

Mike coughed on his soda a bit before clearing his throat. "Jess..." He smiled weakly. "Come on, quit that. I might choke myself to death."

"And?"

Ignoring their lovey-dovey pillow talk, Bella turned to Angela and Tyler instead, hands in her lap. "What are you two going as?" she asked.

"I figure I'd go with the classics," said Tyler with a grin. "Good ol' Frankenstein."

"He's Frankenstein every year," Angela explained. "I figured I'd be one of those ghost brides... It could be really creepy."

Bella laughed at that. No matter how much make up she had on, she doubted that the quiet Angela could pull off being "creepy." Still, she agreed, nodding. "I think you'd look great!" She paused before smiling coyly. "What's Jason going to go as?"

Angela's face darkened at the drop of a hat. She looked at her lunch, fiddling nervously with her spork. "...A zombie groom..." she muttered finally. Bella couldn't help but think how cute that was, smiling as she did so. They discussed it a little more, Bella still having no idea what she would be. So, that Friday evening, the girls headed out find Bella a costume. Of course, a week before Halloween, most of them were going pretty fast. Bella's indecisiveness didn't help either. She was somewhat nervous about picking the right one. With the enthusiasm of Halloween that everyone there shared, Bella wanted to make sure she could impress her friends with a good costume. However, the last thing she wanted to do was go down Jessica's path and wear something that would have her freezing all night. But finally, the girl landed on something just right for her. After getting the approval of her friends, they all headed over to Jason's coffee shop for a warm cup of chocolate before leaving. It was already pretty dark, and Bella wanted to get home soon. Unfortunately, Jason wasn't working that night, and Angela was obviously disappointed. But Bella did her best to cheer her up.

"Isn't he joining us next week?" Angela nodded meekly. "Then you'll see him that night."

"Just let me catch the bouquet," Jessica joked, making Angela sink down in her usual sheepish fashion. "I want Mike and me to get married as soon as possible!" She laughed at that, but something made Bella think she was serious. Probably because, soon after, she sighed and propped her chin in her hands, eyes glazed over. "Wouldn't that be romantic though? Maybe he'll propose the day we graduate! Then we'll live together..." She trailed off before giggling. Bella couldn't help but frown.

"What... that's it?" Jessica looked over to her. "I mean... don't you want to go to college?"

"What for?" Jessica responded. "I can get a good job with my uncle. I can be a desk clerk. And Mike's already planning on staying her to help his dad run the hardware shop."

"Well... yeah but..." Bella shifted, feeling a little uncomfortable. But she went ahead anyway. "I mean... isn't there anything else you want to do? Like... do you really want to be a desk clerk for the rest of your life?"

"Of course not." Jessica smiled brightly. "I want to have kids, too! Don't you think a little daughter with Mike would just be adorable? My eyes and his nose and stuff..." She sighed again, smiling brightly at nothing. Bella wanted to say more, but didn't. She couldn't see Jessica as a wife, let alone a mother. Her eyes went to the bookstore, and she noticed a poster on the window. Her expression brightened. "Oh! They finally have it!" She turned to the other two. "You guys don't mind if I go and grab a book, do you?"

"We'll wait here," said Jessica. "But after that I think we should go."

"Right." Standing, Bella took her hot chocolate and headed across the street to the bookstore, quickly finishing it before tossing it in the trash. Heading inside, she quickly went to the fantasy section, spotting what she wanted immediately. Picking up a green book titled _Personal Demons_, she tucked it beneath her arm and went to the back to purchase it. While waiting in line, she thumbed through a few pages. She had been eager to read this after finding a few sample chapters on the internet. She wondered how it ended... But just before Bella could walk up to buy it, she noticed something out of the corner of her eye. Quickly, she turned. It had darted in and out of her vision so fast that she didn't exactly get the greatest look at it.

Once she got to the counter, she quickly paid and stuffed the book into her shopping bag before heading out the back door. It lead her to an alleyway, the light of the bookstore shining behind her through he windows. As she stepped out into the dark, a chill overcame her and she shivered. Her eyes skimmed the darkness, trying to detect any form or sense of motion. Carefully, she walked a bit deeper into the alley, though made sure to keep close to the back of the bookstore. Suddenly, a noise came from the dumpster. She spun on her heel, only to see a cat jump out from behind the trash, and scampering away. Bella calmed her heart, taking a breath. Though... she was sure she saw something...

"_Miss me, bitch_?"

Shudders ran up her spine like lightning strikes. She knew that voice. She _knew_ that voice. That voice... It caused her such terror and uncertainty a mere twelve months ago. Less even. Turning, her trembling eyes fell onto a figure. It hunched over, its eyes glinting in the orange light of the store. Fear gripped Bella, breaking her numb shell anew. For before her, standing and snaring devilishly, was none other then the vampire Victoria.

Memories flashed back like drive byes. Yes, she remembered Victoria. The stealthy, wild, dangerous creature that hunted her like a cat would a mere mouse. Her head was spinning and she backed up, tripping over a small trashcan. Her heart pounded heavily in her ears. She would die this night, she knew. This would be her end. Was she back for revenge of her fallen comrade? That was right – Bella was the one who shoved the stake into James' heart. Not Edward, Bella. Just as she began to hyperventilate, gripping her neck for protection that was not there, she heard a voice.

"Hey!" She snapped her head up to see one of the store workers walk out. He went to her and helped her to her feet. "Are you ok? You're not supposed to be back here anyway..."

Bella blinked at him. Didn't he see the ferocious creature that stood only ten feet away from them! But when she turned to point the vampire out, Victoria was gone. She gaped at the empty space, her mind woozy. "But... she was there... I saw..."

The boy looked worried. "Did you hit your head? Hang on..." He helped her inside and sat her down. "You want me to call a doctor or something?"

"N-no..." Bella stared out the window, her pulse returning to normal. Had she imagined it? Well... she hadn't been getting very good sleep because of those damned dreams... Yes... this had to be some kind of manifestation of her own mind. Victoria hadn't returned. For all Bella knew, she was dead. She hoped, anyway. "No... I'm ok." She stood, though her legs were weak. "Thanks... I should go." Gripping her shopping bag to her, she headed back over to the coffee shop. Clearly, she was disturbed, though she tried not to show it. After the routine questions of "Woah, what happened?" "You look sick... are you ok?", the trio headed home.

It was late by the time Bella got in. Though Charlie asked her how things went, she ignored him and headed straight up to her room. There, she locked her bedroom door and her window. She then rushed to her computer desk, rustling through the drawers. Relief washed over her when she found her mother's silver cross. And... laying beside it...

That silver bell. The same one Bella had used a year ago when dealing with the three vampires. After putting the cross around her neck, she picked the bell up with shaky hands. It was dusty and cold, but she quickly wiped it off and warmed it up.

It was possible that she had imagined Victoria's appearance. It was actually very probable that she was simply going mad. But what if she was right? What if these dreams had been warnings? What if her death awaited around every corner? Watching her...

Laying along her bed, she clutched the bell to her chest and shut her eyes tightly. It may not be of any use now. After all, Carlisle probably didn't care if she lived or died. But... in the off chance that it would be helpful, Bella vowed to keep it as close to her as possible.

She didn't sleep at all that night.

So there you are! Now that I don't have that job anymore, I can update regularly and still focus on my other books. I know it's been a while, but I promise to make it up to you. And yes, I really did just plug in my book series back there XD

Leave a review!

Tprinces


	8. Into the Lion's Den

Hello again all! I think I might have confused some of you by updating two seven chapters...(heh)... If you haven't read "Shadows", I'd suggest going back and reading it first before continuing on with this one. It's a pretty significant plot point of the story :3 In any case, let's continue!

PS – again, if you want to buy my book (yes, my real one ~squeal!~) the information is on my page as well as in the last chapter.

**Eight: Into the Lion's Den**

**T**o be completely honest with herself, Bella didn't know what was crazier. That she was going to the Cullen house on foot, that she was going alone, or that she was going at night. Perhaps it was a culmination of the three that was really the scream of insanity. As she clutched her flashlight, the wind licking at the ends of her hair, she only prayed that she would be able to remember the way there. That, and that Dr. Cullen didn't eat her on sight. She moved her hand to her mother's cross, gripping it tightly to her neck. She wondered, vaguely, if this was a sure sign that her father was right; that she did indeed need a shrink. Well... more then wonder. This summed up her mental stability in a nutshell. Of course, there was the theory that if you know you're insane, or think you're insane, that you are still, quite certainly, sane. Which was crazy in itself, thinking about what she was doing. Taking a cold breath, she continued up the side of the mountain, the harsh autumn air whipping about what little skin she had exposed. Soon, her light came upon a light clearing, and a bit of level ground. She decided to rest a bit, perching herself on a rock. Hands in her lap, she switched her flashlight off, as the nearing full moon was light enough. Her eyes fell on the impressive manor of the Cullen estate. It was a large, Victorian style mansion, with aging walls and brittle tile for its roof. Its windows were non existent, instead merely concaved bits of wall sat where windows would be. Behind it, the moon highlighted its contour, making for a ghostly vision of a home. Just staring at it gave Bella chills. She rubbed the arms beneath her jacket, once more thinking about what it was she could say. How could she start? How could she even _begin_ her conversation with Carlisle?

"Bella?"

The girl jumped so high in the air that she actually fell off her perch, flailing a bit before turning to see who spoke. A figure clutched to the side of a tree like an ape would, one arm dangling to the side while the other hand and feet remained connected. It was a large form, and the voice carried a warm, brotherly tone to it. It crouched within the shadows before leaping into the moonlight and landing before her. Reaching down to help her up, Emmett Cullen took her hand and brought Bella to her feet. She dusted herself off, embarrassed. "What are you doing here?" he asked. Emmett was Edward's older brother of sorts. An ex-boxer of the fifties, Emmett had a broad set of shoulders and muscular arms, a square jaw resting beneath his boxed off face. Yet there was a certain playfulness beneath these burly features that Bella had always noticed. Currently, his lips were iced over with red, his eyes a bright gold color.

"Oh, sorry." He wiped his mouth off, having realized his appearance. For he was also completely naked. Bella turned quickly, her face burning at the second uncomfortable feeling that came to mind. He left her side, gliding quickly into the house. When he returned, he had on a pair of old, faded jeans, his feet still bare. "Now," he began, pulling his shirt on, "what's this all about? If you're here to see Eddie, he doesn't live with us – "

"No," Bella said quickly. "I um... I came to see Carlisle." Her voice faltered slightly at the name, but she remained firm. Emmett cocked a brow at the statement.

"You came to see Pops? Why?" He frowned. "What, is something wrong?"

"Maybe," she explained. "Um..." Shifting, her hand went to her cross. "I think I... well... I think someone's come back." She took a breath, her eyes moving up to meet his. "I think Victoria's come back for revenge."

His eyes widened. "Victoria...? What...? No way, that's impossible." He frowned, folding his taut arms. "She and Laurent left for good that New Year's night."

"That's why I need to talk to Carlisle." She sounded a little more desperate now. Pausing, Bella looked around. "Um... Alice isn't here, is she?"

"She's still feeding." Emmett thought to himself before nodding. "All right, I'll go get him. Why don't you head on inside? Wait for him in the living room." With that, he turned and bounded off into the darkness, leaving Bella alone. Switching her flashlight back on, she headed in through the front door of the old home. Her footsteps creaked loudly as she walked, closing the door behind her. Ever sound, every squeak, ever little shift and breath made an unquestionable amount of noise to her. It caused her heart to pound heavily, merely adding to the threatening ambiance of the place. It was almost as though the house was living, watching... waiting. Plucking up her courage, she strode forward. Her flash light shined as her only real beacon of courage, leading her through the blood red hallway to the open living room.

Because the Cullen house lacked electricity, only candles greeted her when she arrived, and only half of them were lit. She spotted one of the plush couches near the unused fire place and went to it. She recalled Edward telling her that they preferred cold over hot, which was understandable. Therefore, Bella could only assume that the fireplace was for decoration's sake.

Despite how comfortable the couch was, and it was indeed comfy, Bella couldn't help but sit rigidly while she awaited the head vampire's return. Still, as she sat in the middle of the room, ready to face the beast, her mind drew a blank. It buzzed without an inkling of an idea, other then her constant words of fear and anxiety. She tried going over the situation a few times in her head, but that got her nowhere also. So instead, she sat there, hoping that all would go well.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone walking into the candle light. She turned quickly, watching Carlisle manifesting within the orange flicker, his face stark and unreadable. Bella quickly tried to silence her thoughts of fear, not wanting Carlisle to hear her uncertainty. "Good evening," he said, his voice low and even. He had the decency to dress himself first, his appearance ever the proper, crisp outfit of sheer white. His pale blond hair was combed back handsomely, sitting above his pointed face. His eyes popped out of the darkness, seeming to make their own light. He walked over to the opposite couch, Bella standing from her own. As he sat, he motioned her to do the same. She did so, clutching her flashlight to her stomach. Carlisle looked at it, an unamused brow lifted. Blinking in confusion, she looked down, only to see that it was still on. She quickly apologized and shut it off, making the room go considerably darker. She turned to him and began to stutter, when he cut her off promptly.

"Emmett says you saw Victoria."

"Oh... u-uh... Yes, sir, I did..."

"When?"

"Last night... At the bookstore in Port Angeles."

"Does anyone else know?"

"No, sir."

"Not even Edward?"

"No..."

His eyes pierced through her own, making her feel vulnerable and weak. Yet she couldn't bring herself to look away. She sat there, trembling like a little fool, as he read her mind. When he was satisfied that she was not lying, he laced his hands together.

"Yes, I suppose you did," he concluded. He kept his gaze on the girl. "You think she's out for revenge, do you?"

"Yes..." Bella finally looked away, tilting her head forward. "I was the one who killed James... Not Edward..."

"I'm well aware, Miss Swan. But how would Victoria know?"

That question took her by surprise. She turned up to him, clearly bemused. "Uh..."

"Was she there? Did she see the action?" Bella considered this.

"No... no it was just Edward and me... uh, and I, I mean..." Clearing her throat, she thought about it. That's right... Victoria didn't witness James' death. She wasn't even near the mill when it happened. She had been kept busy with the others, from what Bella understood. And Laurent couldn't have told her. He was distracted too. So how could she possibly get revenge when she didn't even know who it was who killed him? And why would she want revenge in the first place? She had escaped with her life. More then that, what if James meant nothing to her? Bella merely assumed that they were... what? What exactly were they? In the encounters she shared with the three, she knew practically nothing other then their names. Were they siblings? Lovers? Strangers? Perhaps they were there by confidence? Perhaps she and Laurent were the lovers, and James was the "hired hand", as it were? He seemed to be the most intimidating. Perhaps he'd be something like a hit man. And now that he was dead, they had cut their losses and just left?

"And now you're doubting yourself." Carlisle's voice brought Bella back to reality and she looked up. The head vampire kept staring at her, no doubt processing what was going through her head. "Do you still believe you saw her? Don't think. Just answer from your first instinct."

She stopped her thoughts for a moment and relived the night before. That raw fear... It was not like her dreams. If she knew anything, she knew that much. "Yes," she said finally. "I know I saw her." Carlisle finally shut his eyes, nodding.

"Very well then." He stood, hands behind his back. "And do you think she's after you?"

"Maybe," she said. He stared at her. "I mean... Yes... I think she's after me."

"Mm." Turning, he went to the fireplace and laid a hand along the marble. "I see you're wearing your cross," he said without looking at her. "Is that for her or us, I wonder?" Bella didn't answer, as Carlisle probably didn't want her to. He shifted to her direction, his hand still on the mantle. "Keep your eyes open for now. When you go to school next, tell Edward. And let the shifters know too. It may be nothing, as you theorized. But it may not. It's best to be prepared for that."

Bella took that as her cue to leave. She stood, thanked him, and turned to go. Half way there, she stopped. Her hands clutched the grip on her flash light, which had become a bit sweaty by now. "Something on your mind." It was more of a statement than an inquiry.

"Yeah..." Spinning to face him, Bella looked at the staunch vampire half a room away from her. "Do you think dreams have meaning?" she asked.

He seemed to ponder that question for a moment. "No," he said finally. "Dreams are merely the creation of our subconscious, depending on our current situation. Or it could be based on something that had happened quite a while ago, that is just coming to light again for some reason." He tapped his chin before turning to her. "But I can't really say for sure," he admitted. "There are still many things in this world that even I cannot explain. So maybe they do?" The doctor turned to stare at the marble, letting his fingers trail along it. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Bella said, her mind going blank instantly. "Well... night then." Turning, she walked out of the house and into the dark night. Her eyes had gotten much more used to the blue tinted evening world now. Still, she turned her flashlight back on, glancing over her shoulder back to the impressive Cullen house. A sigh escaped her. Turning back, she headed through the woods, feeling a heavy fatigue settle over her.

So! What do you guys think? Was Victoria a manifestation of Bella's brain, or was she really there!

And I promise – a new update every week. Leave those reviews!

~T.


	9. All Hallows Eve

Hello. Sorry this was a day late. Eh... life... and such. Again, if you want to buy my book, you can find the information in the past couple of chapters, as well as on my author page.

**Nine: All Hallows Eve**

**H**alloween had always been a strange holiday for Bella. It wasn't as though it was her most liked, but she did have a particular fondness about it that she kept reserved for the day. Mostly, her joy about Halloween was when she was a child, going trick-or-treating with her mother. Reneé often dressed them as pairs whenever they went together. Peter Pan and Wendy, Raggedy Anne and Andy, Batman and Robin (the girl one). When she got older, Bella took to mainly hanging around her friends in a costume that her mother made her. Reneé often grew excited enough to put together a costume for her. Most of them were quite fantastic, in Bella's opinion. The year before, however, she suggested that she made her own for a change. It wasn't nearly as good as her mother's work – in fact, it was down right pitiful – but it was something. This year, she would be celebrating Halloween with a store bought costume. A first for her. As she put it on in her room, she found that the seams bothered her, and the fabric rubbed her skin in a strange way. She stared at herself in the mirror, her body now draped in a black suit with black cat ears, a black tail, and little, fake whiskers that sat on her cheeks. She hoped it wouldn't be too cold out. The fabric didn't seem all to thick. Sighing, she put a collar on her neck, trying to dodge the strands of hair that fell behind her head. That's when her eyes drifted to the silver cross on the desk beside her.

It had been a week since meeting with Carlisle... Though it seemed so much longer. His daunting words hovered in her head, even now. Especially with the night ahead of her. Would it really be ok to just go out with human friends, unprotected? Rosalie hadn't noticed anything, as far as Bella knew, and not even Carlisle was sure of her presence. So why should she be so worried? Perhaps it was her past relations with vampires and other supernatural creatures that lead her to feel so apprehensive. More than likely, it was. So, after deliberating for a moment or two, Bella slipped on the cross, hiding it beneath her oversized cat bell. Giving herself another once over, she headed downstairs to where her father was preparing the candy for the neighborhood children. Some had already come by the door, though the sun had not set. However, he could not relax this night. Halloween was a gateway for pranksters, and so Charlie had his police radio set up, just in case. Though things had been quiet these past few years.

Charlie turned upon hearing Bella's entrance, a smile on his face. "Well now... don't you look cute?" He picked up his camera and snapped a picture before he could protest, beaming. "How late do you think you'll be?"

"Midnight... maybe one."

"Mm. Do you have your cellphone?" He noticed her outfit. "Ah... maybe you should take a jacket. That might at least have pockets or something."

"I was thinking about it. It'll probably be cold tonight."

"Do you need money?"

"I have some. We'll probably just have dinner and then go do something..."

"Ah. Will someone drive you home?"

"Mike will."

"Mm."

Bella smiled after all these questions. Despite her spiral of depression and anger, Charlie still remained as loving and as kind as ever. This caused her to be a bit sad for her father, as he watched him fill their large bowl of little kisses and boxes of gumdrops. It was all candy he liked; he always got too much, he told Bella once, so that he could have the rest when the kids went home. Walking forward, Bella silently wrapped her arms around Charlie, laying her head on his shoulder. He seemed slightly surprised, but hugged back anyway. "Hey now... what's this for? Trying to bribe me for something?" His voice was light, as it ever was. Taking this in, knowing this about her father... it made her heart sink. Pulling away, she gave Charlie a smile that was a bit more fake then before. She opened her mouth to say something, but stopped when a car honk came from outside.

"Hey! Let's go! It'll take us a while to get there and it's almost dark!" Mike's voice echoed from outside. Bella turned to Charlie, but her father waved her off. After grabbing a coat, she went to the door, Charlie stopping her.

"Go have fun, kiddo. I'll be wide awake when you get back." Meaning he'll probably be passed out on the couch, with the television on full blast. Bella gave him a kiss on the cheek before scampering outside to see Mike waiting. Jessica sat in the passenger's seat, Angela and Tyler in the back. She hopped in beside Tyler, smiling widely.

"Hey guys!" she said, smiling at their costumes. Indeed, Jessica dressed as a scantily clad angel, while Mike had decided to do a sort of devil of sorts. Angela had done up her face to be a zombie, wearing a tarnished wedding gown, while Tyler had a decent amount of green makeup and a bit of prosthetics to create a fairly good Frankenstein. As Mike drove, the radio pumped, he explained that they'd be meeting Jason and Jacob down at Port Angeles.

"Jacob?" Bella repeated. She didn't recall inviting him, and suddenly felt a wave of guilt strike her after this realization. "I thought he was busy," she lied, having forgot her friend.

"He didn't seem like it. Besides, he was the one who asked to go."

"He did?" That was strange. Granted, Jacob had imposed himself before, but this felt different somehow. It probably had something to do with the Cullens, as it usually did. That thought brought her to asking herself: _I wonder if Edward will be there? _The chances of that, however, were not very good, so she didn't entertain the idea to much. Soon, they arrived at Port Angeles. The tiny little tourist town was now dressed head to tow in orange lights, music floating through the shops and businesses. Costumed faces of all sorts moved through the street, most of whom were Bella's age. Mike finally found a parking spot, and the group headed out of the vehicle and into the port. The jubilance and celebration was enough to distract her fear from the idea that Victoria could be lurking in the shadows.

"Hey!" Bella turned, as did the rest, to see Jacob heading towards them. The minute she caught sight of his costume, she felt like she wanted to burst out laughing. For, wanting to seem ironic, she guessed, Jacob had dressed as the Teen Wolf, complete with 80's style jacket and protruding fur. He even had a fake nose on his real one. He grinned, revealing his own sharp canines. "Good! You guys made it here on time!" His eyes landed on Bella, and for a moment, he didn't say anything. Then, just as Bella wanted to do, Jacob really did burst out laughing. This caused Bella to grow hot in embarrassment. She made a noise of protest, but Jacob didn't relent. Finally, he paused, catching his breath. "Oh come on!" He chuckled. "Don't you remember?" This caught Bella off guard, and she didn't answer. Jacob held up a finger. "When we went to James Island last year. You asked me what kind of animal you would be if you were one. And I told you you were a cat. I guess I was right!"

The others caught the humor in that, especially in Bella's face as she clearly did not remember their conversation all that time ago, except for now. "You know," said Mike brightly. "Now that I think of it... Yeah! A cat really does fit you, Bella." They laughed a little more, and Bella couldn't help but catch that contagious smile.

"I still don't see it, but whatever." Turning, they headed down to the street and towards the coffee house, where Jason was awaiting them. Indeed, he had decked himself out to a zombie groom, a bit of fake blood around his face and neck, along with a gray, greenish powder to make him look decaying. Once they were all together, the group headed up and down the streets, picking up treats and other items along the way. Against her better judgement, Bella picked up a carmel apple to munch on throughout the night, though the number of napkins she went through was terrifying. They caught a street performance, and even visited the little haunted house that was set up by the middle school. For tweens and teenyboppers, Bella had to admit that it was quite frightening. As the night went on, Bella's troubles began to fade away further from her mind. Until finally, she was able to forget them all together. That is, until she came across a certain mystic shop that she hadn't seen in months.

Bella remembered how innocent it looked all that time ago. How eerily charming it was to her. Now... as it sat, squished in between two other buildings, Bella found herself in sheer apprehension of the place. Despite this, she had an undying, terribly strong urge to visit it, and once again see the second woman to predict her death. She turned to see the others not noticing that she had strayed from the group. With this as her chance, Bella headed across the street and into the mystic shop for the second time this year.

The incense smell was the same as ever, though now there were sounds of Halloween ambiance, no doubt on a CD somewhere in the shop. Fake bats hung from the ceiling, and cotton spiderwebs were plastered to the walls. Even without all the Halloween garb, the place was creepy. She stepped forward, taking a breath. Off to the side, she saw her faded reflection in the crystal ball. She didn't dare look, as she feared what it was she might see. So, raising her hand, she tapped at the little bell on the desk.

"Hello?" she called. There was a silence. It was soon followed by a jingling of plastic, and a shifting of fabric. Finally, the old gypsy woman from her birthday appeared, dressed as a much more ornate gypsy than usual. Her weary eyes fell upon Bella and her brows lifted. No doubt she recalled Bella's face from their last encounter. It turned slowly from shock to a gentle smile.

"Good evening, my child," she said in a kind voice. "And what brings you here tonight?"

"Uh..." What exactly _did_ drive Bella to walk through the door, anyway? In all honesty, she had absolutely no idea. But the woman didn't seem to mind waiting for an answer. So, after haplessly searching for one, she asked: "What's your name?"

The woman seemed pleasantly surprised. "Lydia," she said, seating herself behind the counter.

"Oh... That's a pretty name." She shifted. "Um... I'm Bella."

"I'm aware."

Somehow, this didn't shock her. "Ah." There was an awkward silence, but Lydia didn't seem to be weary of her company. She folded her hands together, resting them on the edge of her counter top. Bella wasn't quite sure of what to say next. "I'm um... I'm not with Edward anymore."

"The vampire?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Again, another awkward silence followed. Lydia didn't seem disturbed nor relieved at the information, and really, Bella wasn't sure why she was telling her this anyway. "Do you miss him?" That caught Bella's attention as she looked up to the woman. "This Edward of yours?"

Bella considered the question. They saw each other at school... It wasn't like when he left after her birthday but... "Yes..." She lowered her head, almost shamefully. "I do. Even after everything that's happened..." There was yet a third silence. Quickly, she looked up. "But it's not like I can just throw away everything and go back to him!"

"Parish the thought."

"I mean, I'm not going to be a replacement for Annabell! No way will I do that! It wouldn't be fair to either of us... And... and besides. It can't work anyway. I've got to start thinking about college... a career... I can't afford to..." Her words died in her throat as she realized that Lydia was still looking at her, paying attention. It unnerved her, slightly, though in theory it really shouldn't. She blinked at Lydia, unsure of how to continue. "Um... am I boring you?"

"Not at all," said Lydia politely. Her wrinkled hands pulled up a long, cherry wood pipe, that looked to be hand made. After taking out a match stick and striking it, she lit the tobacco inside and took a couple of puffs. "I always find it refreshing to see such a strong spirit."

"Strong spirit?" Bella? After the way she had been griping and moaning about the past? Bella hardly thought she was a strong spirit after all that. Her eyes stared at the cherry pipe in between Lydia's teeth, the ambers in the top glowing and fading as she took a drag or two of the thing. Strangely, it had a nice smell to it. Like a sort of sweet air freshener. "You're... a real one, huh?"

"You mean a psychic?" She took another puff of her pipe before blowing it out the side. "I suppose you could call me that. But I don't hold séances or read people's minds. All I am is a messenger." Lydia took yet another puff from her pipe, letting it drag on for a moment. She didn't seem to elaborate, so Bella asked:

"How so?"

A chuckle came from Lydia's throat. "How so indeed..." She tapped a bit of extra ash out of the pipe and continued to smoke. "I see things. Things that others do not. Things that no one else seems to notice. I can read things that no one can seem to understand. And then, I take that information, and give it to whomever wants to know. It's a skill that has been in my family for centuries." She paused, her smile fading as though she noticed something. "Your friends are looking for you."

A split second later, Bella's phone rang loudly. It was so much of an eerie coincidence that Bella actually jumped where she stood. Taking her phone, Bella pulled away and switched it open. "H-hello?"

"_Hey, where are you?_" It was Jacob's voice. "_You just sort of wondered off._"

"O-oh, well I was – " She turned to look at Lydia, only to find that the woman had gone. That made her stop, unsure of what else to say.

"_Hello? Bella...? You still there? Where are you?_"

"Oh yeah! Um, I'm in the little mystic shop."

There was a silence on the other line. "_Why?_" came Jacob's suspicious voice.

"I got distracted. Sorry. I'll head out and meet up with you guys, ok?" With that, she shut her phone and gave the mystic shop one last look before leaving. As she walked towards her group of friends, still somewhat shaken about the mysterious Lydia, Bella had a strong feeling in her gut that she would be seeing the gypsy again very soon.

Another chapter gone. So! Leave me a review!

~T.


	10. Changing Color

0.0... where did everybody go? Wow, I guess I really lost a few of you, didn't I? Ah, well don't worry. I plan to get a lot of you back when I redo Breaking Dawn. That's the one everyone's dying to see, isn't it? Anywho... On with the show. And for those of you still around... thanks

**Ten: Changing Color**

**O**ne of the best things about Forks, which Bella admittedly loved over Phoenix, were the leaves in autumn. As she usually only visited in the summer time, she didn't always get the chance to see them. But when she did, she marveled at all the different hues and tints, her eyes bright as she saw each one flit in the wind. Even now, at such an age, Bella enjoyed the simple pleasures of the oranges, reds and yellows that were once so vibrant green. The only trees that remained unchanged were the hills of lush evergreens, most of them surrounding the mountainside where the Cullen estate sat. That afternoon, she stared into her own backyard of trees, watching as a couple of leaves danced along the sparse ground. She remembered a Thanksgiving that she and her mother came up to Forks for. She was young then, and the afternoon before the dinner, she and Jacob had played in the large pile of leaves that her father had raked up in the front yard. Looking back on it now, she couldn't help but smile at the appropriate irony of that day. Her smile left her, however, as a knock came to the door behind her. Turning, she spotted her father poking his head in.

"You ready to go?"

She almost had to remind herself what he was talking about. With a sigh, she stood and put her hands into her pockets. With a nod, they headed downstairs and into her truck. Her father insisted on driving. After warming up the old girl, the truck pulled out and began to drive down the road. Bella miserably put her forehead to the window beside her, her fingers touching the withering upholstery in the door.

After weeks of pleading, Bella finally agreed to go see a councilor. It was nerve wracking, to say the very least. What if she couldn't lie anymore? What if Carlisle found out? What if she unintentionally doomed the entire world with one slip of the tongue? Though the latter of the three was the least likely of outcomes, Bella couldn't help but worry over every possibility. The truck clattered its way down to the hospital, which had its own little rehabilitation center attached to it, and parked near the back. A few doctors said hello to Charlie as they passed, Bella feeling an embarrassment welling within her stomach. What must they think, seeing the chief of police bringing his daughter to rehab? She knew how gossip spread in this little town. The last thing she needed was for people to suspect her of being a druggie. Then again, with everything happening in her life, it might actually work as a good cover.

They turned the corner, down a carpeted hallway towards where a few closed offices were. Bella noticed that one of them was wide open. A man walked out, with wire frame glasses on his nose. He turned his eyes up, smiling. "Chief Swan." He shook Charlie's hand. "Oh? This must be Isabella. Hello, dear."

"Um... Hi." Awkwardly, she shook the man's hand. "You can call me Bella."

"Bella then. My name is Dr. Strass. You probably don't remember, but I was your therapist when your parents divorced. You were very young then, so I doubt you would."

Bella focused a bit more. "Oh...!" She realized then that she did indeed recognize the man. He was a portly fellow, with a harmless face and friendly features. His eyes were a watery gray, his lips tilted up into a non-threatening, wrinkly smile. He was loosing a bit of his hair by then, which was heavily gray, and dressed smartly in a dark jacket and shirt. He stepped out of the way, holding out his hand to the door.

"Why don't we make ourselves comfortable?" Nodding, Bella stepped inside and looked around. There were two chairs facing one another. One had black, shiny leather, and the other was an ultra comfortable arm chair, flaked with pillows and cushions. There was a little zen garden on the bookshelf, and a window that lead out to a couple of maple trees. The orange red leaves caused the light to bounce and mimic that very color. The door behind her shut as Dr. Strass stepped towards his own leather chair, Bella sitting in the comfortable one across from him. Folding one leg over the other, he laced his fingers together. "So then," he started. "Did you have a good day today?"

Bella was taken a bit off guard yet again. "Um... Sure, I guess." She shifted in her chair, her hands on top of one another.

"And how is school going?"

"Fine..."

"Do you like your classes?"

"They're ok... I hate math, but... they're ok otherwise."

"Do you have a boyfriend?"

Bella opened her mouth, but shut it yet again, her eyes staring down at her knees. How to answer that one? Strass noticed her hesitation, but said nothing about it. Instead, he waited patiently, hands on his lap. After a while, Bella took a breath and answered. "No," she said. A sour expression came to her. "And I don't want one either."

"Oh?" He seemed to take an interest in that. "Why not?"

"It's all too complicated," she muttered, leaning against her chair and putting her hand to her forehead. "I don't want a boyfriend ever again after this... Or at least have one that's normal." She snorted in disgust at the whole situation. "Hell, I might even become a lesbian after I graduate. Just to be on the safe side..." Realizing she was rambling, Bella looked up to see that Strass was still listening politely. Embarrassed at the lesbian comment, she cleared her throat. "Er... sorry."

"Quite all right." He took out a notepad and scribbled something down. Bella's face grew hot. He wasn't writing that down, was he? But Strass didn't say what it was he wrote. "Now then. Why are you swearing off of boyfriends?"

Her heart grew heavy. Ah, if only he knew. But how could she possibly tell him? There was no way. No way in Hell she could tell him, and no way in Hell he'd believe her. So, she decided to just give him the short version. "I'm just... tired of it all, I guess."

"Why?"

This was getting frustrating. She put her head in her hand, groaning a bit to herself. "I'm just tired, that's all."

"Tired of what?"

"Everything." As friendly as he was, Dr. Strass's constant prying was making Bella agitated. And quickly, too.

"How about just talking about one thing in particular?"

_How about you blow it out your ass?_ But Bella refrained from voicing her thought. Instead, she jerked her head to the side, glowering at the window beside her. Clearly, she didn't want to go into it further. Finally catching the hint, Strass shifted his wire frame glasses.

"Your father tells me that you experienced the death of a friend recently." Her heart suddenly dropped within her chest at the mention of Mac and she let her eyes lower. "How are you dealing with it?"

"With what?" Blinking, she turned to look at the psychiatrist. "What do you mean, dealing with it?"

"Well, everyone deals with death in different ways. Some people accept it and move on... Others tend to push it away from them and try not thinking about it."

Bella's eyes became cold. "So which one am I?" she asked pointedly.

"That's your judgement, not mine."

Bella folded her arms tightly across her chest. "No, why don't you tell me, _Doc_? You're the expert here."

Strass gave a meek smile before sighing. "Isabella – "

"It's _Bella_," she snapped.

"Bella. All I want to do is help you. I don't mean to violate your privacy. You can only tell me what you're comfortable with telling me."

"Oh good. I guess I can shut up now." What did he know anyway? Bella felt insulted, having such a fat idiot set up to analyze her. This was precisely the reason why she didn't want to take therapy; no one in the world could possibly understand her situation, especially not some blinded human. So why bother?After that, Strass tried asking her other questions, but she replied only with short, curt answers, or sometimes not at all. Finally, when the hour was up, Strass stood, Bella not able to get to her feet fast enough.

"Well... we'll try again next week, ok Bella?" She didn't reply. Instead, she strode right out of the office and down the hall, passing her father all together. Charlie stood to ask her how it went, but she didn't even bother looking his way. She just wanted to find a quiet room where she could cool off. Her feet lead her down the hall and around the hospital floor, not even knowing where she was going. She turned a corner sharply only to bump full on into someone standing right in front of her.

"Sorry – " she began to snap. She stopped, abruptly, when she realized who it was she bumped into. Standing before her, in a white doctor's coat, was none other then Carlisle Cullen. Her face drained of color as she stood there, gaping at the man. Carlisle lifted a white blond brow.

"Miss Swan," he said, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Bella would have answered, but jumped when the sounds of the other physicians caught her attention. "Dr. Cullen!" said one of the attendees. Carlisle turned and went to the patient on hand. Suddenly, a question popped up in Bella's mind: Why was Carlisle even there anyway? He didn't come to the hospital unless there was a specific reason. However, when she saw the patient on the gurney before her, the question quickly evaporated.

A man laid there, marred and covered with all kinds of bites. Though he was incredibly bloody, his face was devoid of the flow, his lips chapped. He was barely breathing, his eyes glossed over horribly. It nearly made Bella wretch at the sight. Turning up to Carlisle fearfully, she watched him put a handkerchief over his nose. Even someone with as much discipline as he needed to take a step back, it seemed. "Get him to the ER and get him cleaned. I'll be in promptly to stitch him." Turning to Bella as the man was rolled away, Carlisle pulled down his cloth. "It seemed as though you were correct, Miss Swan."

Instantly, Bella knew what Carlisle meant. It seemed as though the floor fell beneath her, yet she still remained standing. Her heart thudding in her ears, she only vaguely registered Charlie rush up behind her, his voice echoing in her mind. "There you are! Why did you run out like that? Oh... Dr. Cullen, hello." She looked up to see Carlisle nod and then excuse himself for surgery. Charlie turned to his daughter then, frowning. "Dr. Strass wanted to talk to you about the next appointment..." His voice faded a bit. "Bella?" He touched her shoulder. "Bells, are you ok? Hey..."

"What?" Her wide eyes turned to him, unable to get the image of the nearly dead man from her frontal lobe. Charlie looked at her worriedly before a different doctor went to Charlie, interrupting them.

"Chief Swan? I think you missed the radio call. If you could come this way..." He lead Charlie away from Bella. As they walked, she could catch a few words floating in the air. "It looks like there's a wild animal loose in the woods, sir..." After that, they walked out of sight, and Bella's legs gave way. Thankfully, there was a chair just behind her, letting her fall into it. Hands clammy, she gripped her knees. So, it was true. She wasn't crazy. What she saw that night was very much real.

Victoria had returned.

Dun dun DUN! Anyway... reviews!

~T.


	11. New Additions

Oh hooray! I was so afraid you guys gave up on me! But seeing the plethora of fantastic reviews I was given for the last chapter, I can see that I was very wrong! Thank you! Oh, and to all who bought my book, thank you again! X3 I hope you enjoy it! Tell me what you think and what you hope to see in the upcoming ones! (there'll be five) Anyway, on with the show!

**Eleven: New Additions**

**T**here were several surprises that Bella was presented with that day. For one, the minute she woke up, she found that Jacob was outside waiting for her with her truck. The second surprise came that morning, when Jacob asked her if she wanted to go to the winter dance with him, to which she said she'd think about it. And the third and perhaps biggest surprise was that, when she and Jacob pulled up into the parking lot, she spotted not only the face of Edward Cullen, but of Rosalie and Emmet Cullen as well. Getting out of the car, Bella approached the three, Rosalie nodding firmly as she did so. Rosalie had on her usual marshmallow puff jacket in bright pink, the fur trimmed hood over her head. Emmet, as usual, had on a boxer-esque sweat jacket, and Edward wore his usual black. Bella glanced over to see her other friends assemble near the front of school, and to see Jacob follow closely behind her. She stepped in front of the three vampires, her voice low. "What are you guys doing here?" she asked in a whisper, despite how noisy the parking lot was.

"Victoria has returned," said Rosalie seriously. "That's not something our family can ignore. So Carlisle sent me to look after you." She thumbed over to Emmet. "He just happened to tag along."

"Awe!" Playfully, Emmet threw his arms around Rosalie's shoulders, making an adorable puppy-face. "That's so mean, Rosie! Come on, kiss me and make it better! Ack!" Rosalie shoved her notebook into his face, stopping him.

"You idiot," she hissed, trying to keep her cool. "We're supposed to be siblings, remember. We're Edward's cousins from Oregon."

"Can't we just say that we're married, which is why you have my last name?"

Rosalie took her notebook back, rubbing her temple, which throbbed in irritation. "Honestly, Emmet. We're here to do serious work, and you're still goofing around."

"Because you're too stiff!" Grinning, Emmet patted her on her lower back, just above her buttocks. Annoyed, Rosalie reached up and yanked the strings on his hood tight enough to where his entire face was closed in. Huffing, she swiveled about and marched away. Edward merely rolled his eyes, turning to Bella.

"They're going to be your new bodyguards," he said as Emmet yanked his hood back open. "To be honest, I don't know who's more dangerous to you. Victoria or Emmet."

"You make me sound like a doofus, Eddie!"

"You are one."

"Hmph. At least Bella understands my comedic genius, right Bells?"

"Uh..." Bella had to admit, she'd wanted to laugh in this situation, but she said nothing about it. Edward dismissed the question and turned back to Bella.

"In any case, Carlisle is worried that she'll come back for you." In the pit of her stomach, Bella felt her lining drop out. "So he sent Rosalie to watch out for you. But then Emmet was throwing a bit of a fit because he wanted to go with Rosalie. Of course, this is all from what they've told me. I don't live there anymore, after all." He caught Emmet yawning, the vampire patting his mouth. "Not so easy waking up in the day, is it?"

"Eh, I'll just sleep through my classes. I didn't pass high school the first time around, so why should I try the second time?"

"You didn't pass last time?" Bella became suddenly interested. "How come?"

Emmet just flashed a boyish smile. "I dropped out to fight. After I won a few titles, I didn't need to go back."

"In _any_ case." Bella jumped as Jacob's voice entered the conversation. She almost forgot that he was there. "I really don't think this is necessary. I'm already going to be with her, so there's no need for two other bodyguards." She blinked as that morning came to mind. Had he asked her to the dance simply to make sure she'd be safe? Part of her felt a little bit insulted at the realization. Still, she held her tongue. She'd talk to him about it later, her attention being drawn to Edward's scoff.

"Oh right, because you guys did _such_ a great job last time." That elicited a growl from Jacob's throat.

"Why don't you piss off, bloodsucker? You don't even have a reason to be here anymore."

"Maybe I just want to be here."

"Ha! Who would actually _want_ to go to high school?"

Edward nearly blushed in embarrassment. "Why do you care, ass-sniffer?"

"Blow me, bat-fag!"

"Flea dick!"

"Anus biter!"

"Hey, hey, hey!" Emmet got in between them just as they were about to tare one another's heads off. Bella couldn't help but notice just how dirty their insults had become since their first few fights. Emmet put one hand on each of their chests, smiling weakly. "At least let me place a couple of bets before you guys brawl, eh?"

Snorting, Edward jerked away, trying to regain his composure. "Whatever. I don't have time for this anyway. Come on Bella." He took her arm and began to lead her away, when Bella felt a tug on her other arm by Jacob. The wolf growled in Edward's direction.

"_I'm_ Bella's escort. Not you, Cullen." Edward jerked her towards his side.

"Quit acting like a child! I've always been her bodyguard. I'll take her to class. Besides, we're in the same grade." Jacob tugged right back.

"Funny, I didn't think hundred something year old guys were seniors in high school."

"Oh for the love of God!"

Bella yanked both arms out of their grasps, glaring at the both of them. "You're both idiots! I'll walk myself to class!" Emmet opened his mouth to say something, but Bella cut him off before he could. "You're not coming either!" With that, she marched away from the three boys, fuming as she stormed into her little group of human friends. She couldn't believe how immature they _still_ were, after all that had happened. One might think that, though time and near-death situations, they might have grown to put aside their differences. How pathetic that they still bickered like a couple of squabbling chickens. Now that she was in a bad mood, she hoped that she gave out enough signals to let the others know that she didn't want to be bothered. Which was why, almost immediately, Jessica jumped on her case.

"Ooh, you look pissy," she said with a grin. "What happened? And who's the beefy guy you were just talking to?"

"It's a private issue."

"Oh? You know, he kind of looks the same as Cullen... They have the same skin and eyes, anyway..."

"They're cousins," Bella answered, remembering the story Rosalie gave them. "That's Emmet. The girl who walked off who was in the pink is his sister, Rosalie."

"Oh..." Jessica eyed her, as though trying to crack some unseen code on her face. "Something else is going on..."

There were two very distinct options in this situation. One was to ignore her, which would more than likely not work. Jessica would probably just bug her until she wound up snapping at her like the day after Chris dumped her. The other option was to tell her a small piece of information. Not enough to give anything away, but enough to pacify her. She decided that the second option was her best bet. So, with a heavy sigh, she answered her. "Jacob asked me to the winter dance." Right on cue, Jessica gasped, her eyes all a glitter.

"Oh my God, no way! Seriously?" Bella smiled weakly, trying to not become annoyed at her over-exuberance. To be honest, it was very difficult. "So what did you say! Are you two going?"

"I said I'd think about it," said Bella with a shrug. The look on Jessica's face read as though Bella committed blasphemy. With a blank face, she asked: "What? Did I say the wrong thing?"

"Duh!" Jessica threw her hands into the air. "Of course you did! You don't say something like that! He's a _catch_, Bella! Go with him!"

She looked a bit uneasy. "But I don't even know if I want to go to the dance – "

"Oh, you're going," she said promptly, hands on her hips. "I already know what kind of dress you should wear. Something low cut to show off your cleavage." Bella looked down at her flat chest as if to say: "What cleavage?" "Oh don't fret," said Jessica, batting away her clearly self conscious feelings. "I have the perfect solution. We'll just have some frills around the cut and a broach in the middle to distract him from the fact that you're flat."

Bella put her hand to her forehead. "Really, you're too kind," she muttered. Thankfully, the bell rang, and the group had to disperse to get to their classes. Her book bag clutched to her shoulder (she had long discarded the teddy bear pack), Bella walked herself into school and headed straight for first period. She knew that she would not be able to think all day today. And, not surprising, she wasn't able to. Particularly because she ended up sitting right beside Emmet Cullen.

As she took her seat, she got a strong sense of deja vú, reminded of her first few interactions with Edward. However, Emmet was a completely different breed. That was apparent from the day they met. However, he seemed a bit different now that he was separated from the other two. He greeted Bella with a smile and a nod, as usual, but his smile was a bit sadder than his usual beam. Bella set her books to the side, returning the gesture weakly.

"So you're in my math class?" she asked. Emmet nodded.

"I haven't done this stuff in ages. Has the material changed, you think?"

"Maybe if we were in science class. But I don't think math really changes."

"Ah." They were silent for a bit, Bella noticing how Emmet's eyes began to lower. "Hey... You don't think Rosie was too annoyed, right?"

That caught Bella by surprise. "What do you mean?" Emmet folded his arms on the counter and put his chin in between them, staring out in front of him.

"I know she gets irritated a lot," he admitted. "But... sometimes I just want to see her smile. She's really pretty when she smiles, she just is so serious all the time..." Emmet sighed and shook his head. Propping his chin in his hand, he stared sadly at the blackboard. "I know she thinks I'm a total square." There was a pause as he caught Bella's expression. "What?" Another pause. "Oh... wait, do people not use that expression anymore?"

"No..."

"Oh. Drag."

Bella smiled a bit, patting his shoulder. "I wouldn't worry about it too much, Emmet. I'm sure she loves you. Why would she give you your legs back if she didn't?" He tilted his eyes to her, his smile returning somewhat.

"Yeah, I know. I just don't want her to get bummed with me, that's all." He put his hands behind his head, as Bella summarized that she'd just have to get used to his fifties slang before he picked up the speech of the twenty first century. With that in mind, she turned back to the teacher, took out her notes, and began scribbling a few things down.

This was going to be a long, long year.

So yes... More lovely reviews please! :3 I decided to do this chapter a day early, but for all intents and purposes, I'll be updating every Wednesday... and if not then Thursday... yeah.

~T.


	12. Nightmares

Ok, I am very sorry for not updating in a week but... Well first I had to go out of town and now I'm getting ready for Anime Expo in which I'm going to be performing in "Whose Line is it? Anime!" as well as selling and signing my books... so there's a lot to do... Anyway. Aside from that, I'm also a little stuck. I don't want to get too much filler, but if I move the plot too fast it'll end up being shorter than I want... Eh... might as well just start typing and see what I come up with.

Oh, and be advised... I'm messing with the Volturi just the same as when I messed with the Cullens.

**Twelve: Nightmares**

**I**t was surreal, staring at the rack of dresses with both Jessica and Angela standing on either side of her. Bella couldn't quite figure out exactly what was surreal. Perhaps it was because she had only just now taken a step back to realize that she would be going to the winter dance with her best friend, who happened to be a werewolf, who might be jealous of her old boyfriend, a vampire, and now seemed to be asking her to the dance only to protect her from an insane woman who wanted her head on a platter. All the while, her two girlfriends (mainly Jessica) were blabbering away about unimportant issues and other elements of things like dances and whatnot that left Bella very silent and very thoughtful. After caving in and allowing Jacob to take her to the dance, Jessica begged the girl to join her and Angela to find the perfect dress. Besides that, she was certain that she had found a gown suitable for Bella's figure. Or lack there of, anyway. Angela just came along because she would be able to see Jason again. Jessica pulled out dress after dress, Bella only vaguely paying mind to them. Of course, thinking back to her surreal feeling of the whole situation, the reasoning could be the fact that she was incredibly drowsy this afternoon, which would actually explain many things. She had another terrifying nightmare the evening before, and couldn't sleep that morning. It was quite sunny out, despite it being cold, Bella didn't have to be tailed by a vampire or two. Still, she had a hunch that Jacob might unexpectedly show up. As Jessica pulled out a lavender gown, Bella yawned, patting her wide open mouth. This caused the blond to frown deeply, walking over and patting her shoulder.

"Hey, wake up." She snapped in her face. "If you don't like the dresses, just say so." Angela looked up from her spot of mulling through scarfs to watch.

"I'm sorry," Bella said, rubbing her eyes. "Why are we here, anyway? The dance isn't for a while..."

"It's in three weeks!" said Jessica frantically. "If you're not prepared, soon everything will pile up and all the good dresses will be gone! Now go try on this on before I have to force you into it." Turning Bella about, she pushed the girl into a changing room and shut the door. She huffed, turning to the dress she was given. With a little frown, she looked at herself in the mirror, plastering the dress to her front. It was incredibly low cut, she realized, probably to help boost her bust. It's purple color was nice enough, and it had a top layer of lace material that sat above the silk under dress. Still, despite how pretty it was, it was overly frilly and sparkly, making Bella frown slightly at it. She wouldn't be surprised if it came with a few show girl feathers as well. After looking it over, she tossed it to the side and cracked the door open just a bit to peek out. Jessica and Angela both had their back turned to her. She wondered if she could get away with telling Jessica that she already had a dress? But then her friend would most likely want to see it. Her eyes drifted from the shop to the small building across the way.

The mystic shop. Bella paused and stood up straight, staring at it. Halloween seemed so long ago. Still, she could remember every word that Lydia told her that night. She shifted from foot to foot before glancing back at her friends. Bella nibbled at her lower lip. If she suggested that they all go, Jessica probably wouldn't want to, judging how their last group encounter with the woman went. Tapping at her lip, Bella thought things through. Once more, she had an irresistible urge to travel over to that mystic shop. One she simply could not suppress. So, taking a breath, she stepped out. "Hey guys?" They both turned to her. "I think I'm going to step out for a little bit."

"What?" Jessica seemed flabbergasted. "But we only just got here!"

"I know, but I need some air," Bella explained. "Um..." She side stepped out of the dressing room and headed towards the door. "Besides, you still need a dress too, right? I'm sure you want to impress Mike that night..." Jessica brightened at that and nodded, searching through the dresses like a vulture for a fallen animal.

"Well when you come back, you have to give me your opinions!" she told her. Bella promised that she would and then left the shop. Successfully slipping away, Bella glanced about the street before quickly heading over towards the little mystic shop before her. Much like last time, the smells and sights were all the same, only now there were no small Halloween decorations. Nervously, Bella went to the counter and leaned over it.

"Lydia?" she asked softly. She tried to peer in through the back room, but no luck. Perhaps she wasn't here? But no one else worked there, and what shop owner in their right mind would leave their business unlocked? She called again, a bit louder this time. "Lydia!" But still, there was no response. After listening carefully, Bella detected a faint shuffling sound near the very back. Though she probably shouldn't have, Bella slid behind the counter and headed to the back room. For some reason, she felt as though it would be ok for her to do so. As she moved farther down the hallway of the tiny place, she felt more cramped and claustrophobic. There were much more boxes and shelves to deal with, a great deal of merchandise cluttering up the sides of the place. The shuffling, she realized, came from behind a lightly cracked door. After carefully stepping over a few extra crystal balls, Bella carefully pried open the door and poked her head inside. "Lydia...?"

Indeed, Lydia was there. Currently, she was thumbing through a bookshelf full of old tomes, clearly immersed in finding something. When Bella said her name, she blinked, turning to the girl. "Oh," she said in vague surprise. "Well hello again."

Instantly, Bella felt guilt for sneaking into the back. "Er... sorry. I um... you didn't answer at the front." However, she was greeted only by one of Lydia's gentle smiles.

"Not at all. I didn't think anyone would come in today. Why don't you head up front? I'll be out in just a bit." She turned back to the shelf, allowing Bella to scurry back to the front desk. As she pulled up a stool, she wondered what exactly she could say to the woman. Why _had_ she even come in? Perhaps it was to discuss her dream? Her hands fiddled with one another in her lap. That had to be the reason. Perhaps Carlisle couldn't tell her anything about dreams, but Bella was very sure that Lydia could. If she couldn't, Bella wasn't sure who could. After about a minute or so, Lydia appeared from the hallway, seating herself behind the cramped counter.

"I'm sorry dear," she said kindly. "Just rearranging a few books." As usual, she dressed in flowing scarfs and a few bangles, the laugh lines around her cheeks wrinkled and soft. "Now then... what can I help you with today?"

"Well..." Bella seemed anxious about speaking with Lydia, but it was slowly starting to calm the more she sat there. "It's... my dreams." She paused. "Oh, should I pay you for this? I mean, I know this is... um... a service maybe? I just want you to help me interpret it."

Lydia smiled graciously. "If you wish," she said. Bella dug through her pocket and brought up a ten dollar bill. She held it up sheepishly, but Lydia did not object to the price. So, she placed it on the table and cleared her throat. "Before you start... if you wouldn't mind?" Lydia pulled out her pipe and lit it, much like last time. Sitting back in her chair, she put her wrinkled lips to the end of it, her eyes kind as always. "Now then... Tell me about this dream.

And Bella did so. Just like before, she let her tongue ramble on and on, telling her every detail about the dream she could possibly remember. The old woman listened without interruption, taking in every word of Bella's night terror. Finally, when Bella had told all that needed to be said, Lydia shut her eyes, analyzing everything. Bella remained silent, not wanting to interrupt her train of thought. Finally, she spoke. "These... new creatures that speak in an unfamiliar language. You said they had red eyes?"

"Yes..." Bella felt a shiver up her spine, remembering the beastly James from just a year prior. "They're so scary..."

"Think back to your dream," said Lydia, leaning in a bit. "Think very hard. This language that they spoke... can you recall anything from it? Perhaps a word or a sound?"

Bella racked her brain, trying desperately to remember. Remarkably, one word did come to mind. "'M...morte'... I think... It's the only thing I can remember." She turned her eyes up to see that Lydia now looked quite disturbed. Bella felt her heart clench. "What? What does that mean?"

"Morte... Italian, isn't it?" Bella said nothing and the woman stood. "I see... It is as I feared... Come with me." Standing obediently, Bella followed Lydia through the hallway and down into the book room. Lydia offered her a seat and then removed a certain book from its shelf. "Tell me, Bella. What do you know of the workings of the underworld?" She turned to look at her, the book placed in between her hands.

Bella seemed a little caught off guard. "Well, uh... I know that there are vampires... and... werewolves and shifters..." She fidgeted in her chair. "Why?"

Lydia moved herself over to an opposite chair, taking a puff of her cherry wood pipe before snuffing it out and setting it to the side. Clearing off the table in front of them that was full of papers and other items, she laid the book down. "Have you ever heard of the Volturi?" she asked. Bella's confused face answered her question.

"What's a volturi?" she asked. "I think I've heard about it before... but I don't know what it is."

"_The_ Volturi," Lydia began, "is an elite group of vampires who keep order in their world. A sort of... royal family if you will." Opening the book, she pointed to an inked and hatched picture of a few flat characters. Even with their lack of dimension, they seemed to strike Bella as graceful and yet... frightening. Their eyes... those blood red eyes were more familiar to Bella then any facial feature they possessed. It was a group of hooded figures, their poses strong and commanding, yet sinister as well. There were about five of them. The ankh sat above their heads, as red blood was drawn about their feet. That blood lead down to what looked to a pit full of bones and bodies. Bella's stomach turned icy cold from the sight.

"There are two kinds of vampires, Bella," Lydia explained. "The ones you're used to, I'm sure, are ones called turned vampires. Their eyes are a golden color?" She pointed to her own, and Bella nodded. "Turned vampires, if you haven't already guessed, are humans who are changed into the undead. Like I'm certain your Edward fellow was. The second kind are known as the genetic vampire." She touched one of the pictures' face with her finger. "Their eyes are the color of blood. They are the vampires who were born and raised as blood-lusting creatures. Because there are so few, they are rare to come by. But the Volturi... they are not only one of the few remaining left, but they have been known to the vampire world as something close to demi-gods." Raising a finger, she pointed to the tallest in the center. "Aro..." Her finger shifted. "...Caius..." Again, she slid over. "...and Marcus. The three oldest genetic vampires to ever live. Three very influential brothers." She turned back to Bella with serious eyes. "Certain things have changed since this picture was drawn. Around two hundred years ago, Aro coupled with a genetic known by Sulpicia to sire a child by the name of Jane. The mother was killed by hunters soon after.

"There are two other male Volturi who have joined the family without being blood related. Other than the fact that they are genetic. Felix and Demetri, I believe their names are..." She paused then, staring at the book before her. "And... perhaps one more... a new addition..." She let her fingers trail the picture, as if sensing something. "Yes... A genetic by the name of Alec..." Lydia's eyes closed in thought. "Oh my... yes, quite a fiery creature that one is. Impulsive, childish..." She turned back to Bella, who could barely tare her eyes away from the gypsy woman. "All I can say, my dear, is that I am very glad you are not in harm's way... at least not directly."

Bella's heart hopped into her throat. "What do you mean, not directly?" she asked in a whisper.

"I mean... the longer you stay in Forks, or even Washington, my child... the greater and greater the appending danger becomes." Reaching over, she took Bella's hand. "Listen to me. Listen very carefully. You must _leave_ this place. Return to your mother. You will be safe there."

"My mother...? How – "

"Promise me... Promise me you will, Bella. You are not safe here. Not even with the protection of the Cullens, or even young Mr. Black. Please leave Forks behind..."

Bella withdrew her hand, her mouth open but found that she could say nothing. Lydia's words left her mouth very dry. What could she possibly say to her? She opened and closed her lips before standing. Unable to stay there any longer, Bella turned and ran as fast as she could out of the mystic shop. With no want to see her friends, Bella rushed away, down Port Angeles, hurrying away from the streets, where people could see her. Finally, after all that running, Bella went behind an alleyway and plopped down right then and there. Gripping her knees to her chest, she panted very loudly, staring at the wall in front of her. What to think, what to do? How could she ignore such a warning? What would happen to her now? How could she explain this to her father, to herself even? She put her face in her hands, feeling the urge to cry. After a long moment, a gentle hand touched the top of her head. Turning up, she saw Jacob standing before her. Tenderly, he knelt beside his friend and pulled Bella into a hug. She did not return it, but she didn't push away, either.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly. "This is... the girl's day out."

"I was in the neighborhood," said Jacob lamely. Bella couldn't smile at that. Instead, all she did was grab onto his shirt for dear life.

So there we are. The Volturi are foreshadowed. Heavily. Leave a review! In it, I want you to tell me what you think fate holds in store for Bella.

~T.


	13. What's Best

Rawr.

Ok... I have to admit, i've been procrastinating. What with Anime Expo that just passed, and then I'm getting ready to go to Comic Con, as well as a radio interview tomorrow for my book... Blah. Anyway. Plus I know I sort of have to write filler until a certain plot point later on... and... and... I HATE WRITING FILLER! BLAAAAAAAAH!

Anywho... here we go.

**Thirteen: What's Best**

"**_Y_**_ou want to come home?"_

"Well... I've just been sort of thinking about it. I mean... I love dad and all but... I miss you."

"_Oh, sweetie... I miss you too... But if you came back to live with me, it wouldn't be in Phoenix. We moved to Jacksonville, remember?"_

"Yeah, I remember."

"_So you wouldn't see your old friends..."_

"I know, mom. That's ok with me. Besides, I told you what happened with Chris and Maria."

"_Ah yes, I remember. Well good for you, honey. You don't need friends like that."_

Bella laid on her bed, her eyes staring at two small items in front of her. One was the tiny bell given to her by Carlisle Cullen. The other was her mother's silver cross. She ran her fingers along the chain of it, as they both sat on the tops of her pillows. They seemed so useless, just looking at them. But the number of times these two items saved her life was stifling, really. But, in the near future, she had a feeling that she would never have to use these items again. Propping her chin in her hand, she listened to her mother's voice on the phone as she told her how excited she was that Bella would be moving back. Something about becoming a family again and whatnot. Bella gave her mother happy responses, though her heart was quite low during the entire phone call. Ever since she moved to Forks about a year ago, her life had practically been in danger. And yet, through some sick and twisted sense of masochism, she wanted to stay. Perhaps because, deep down, she couldn't help but believe that she'd always be rescued, things would always turn out ok. But she knew better. What if Edward couldn't reach her? What if Jacob couldn't run fast enough? What if neither of them knew? What if they both just stopped caring one day? Bella was trouble, really. Without here, there would be no problem with the rogue vampires, nor would the wolves and the vampires have to deal with one another. It would be better for everyone if she just left. Although, with her luck, she'd probably run into the creature from the Black Lagoon down there.

"_Have you talked to your father about this yet?"_

That caught Bella off guard. Sheepishly, she prodded at her blanket. "No," she admitted. "I'm... waiting for a good opportunity to bring it up. I don't want to hurt him..."

"_I see... Well how about this? Why don't we hold off moving you until after your winter break? Then you can move back just before spring semester, and it gives you enough time to talk to him about it."_

Bella smiled weakly. "That sounds like a good idea."

"_Great! Oh I can't wait to have you home! I've been missing you like crazy! Just wait until I tell Phil!"_

"Right... well, I should study. I've got finals coming up, so..."

"_Oh right, right! Study! I love you sweetie! Can't wait to have you home!"_

"I love you too, mom." With that, they hung up, and Bella let herself deflate on top of her bed. Instead of studying, like she probably should have, she laid there and listened to the breathing of the house. It was still early, though it was getting dark. Charlie wasn't home yet. Turning her eyes to her window, she saw the mass of trees gathering little clumps of white frosting from the snow. Slowly, she moved from her bed and went to the window, placing her hand on the pane of glass. Her breath fogged up a little piece of it as she stared. Snow was so soft. A snowflake rested on the window in front of her face, and she stared at it. Soft, inconsequential, unnoticeable. Just one of the millions of flakes fluttering softly in the breeze, destined to eventually join their family down below, and become utterly unrecognizable. Her eyes focused on the flake. Leaning in, she noticed the elegant detail of it. Its spiny, beautiful design had a sort of complex simplicity that Bella could only ponder about. How could something so wonderful, so unique, be fated to mold into one, unrecognizable lump? It was cruel, really. But then, the world was cruel. So she supposed it was fitting. Her eyes casted downward to the mounds of snow on the ground. Each and every one of them was beautifully designed and elegantly created. Yet, from where Bella stood, it all just looked like a clump of sugar. Turning back to her snowflake, she saw that it had already started to melt. A sigh escaped her and she touched the spot where the flake was. Not a moment later, Bella saw something that made her jump backwards and fall onto the floor, hitting her head on the bed frame.

Bella saw stars for a second and quickly blinked them away. When her eyes focused again, she saw Victoria perched dangerously in the sparse tree beside her window. The vampire looked something along the lines of a vulture or a gargoyle. Her eyes were piercing gold, her lips stained with blood. She slowly licked the red away from her lips, her tongue stretching longer than any regular organ. She then brought it back into her mouth, smiling with her fangs gleaming maliciously. "Hello, little girl," she growled. Bella looked at her. Since she last saw the vampire, Victoria seemed to have grown much more ragged. Her hair was a great deal bushier, and stuck out at many different angles. Her clothes were dirty, and her eyes were wide with madness. What had she gone through, Bella wondered? Now more than ever, with the light of the moon reflecting off her back, Victoria looked like a monster from the pits of hell itself. Her nails dug into the tree branch that she was perched upon as she kept her stare fixated on the human girl. "Lovely night, isn't it? Why don't you come out to play?"

Heart pounding in her chest, Bella was petrified with fear. It took her only a moment to remember that vampires couldn't enter a home without being asked inside. Quickly, she hopped to her feet and rushed to grab her bell, only to realize that it fell behind the bed and was now squeezed in between the frame and the wall. Victoria laughed viciously as Bella scrambled to grab it. "Come now, you're waisting my time! Come on, little human! Little cute human! Tasty tasty human!" She practically began to sing, swaying from side to side on her branch. It scratched at Bella's insides like nails on a chalkboard. But then, there was another sound. One that made her entire body go cold with absolute fear.

The sound of Charlie's wheels on the gravel.

"Ooh..." Victoria grinned maliciously as Bella looked up to her, her eyes wide in terror. "I hear daddy come home... Heh heh... I just ate, but I think a little dessert would suit me fine." Bella opened her mouth to scream, but by that time, Victoria had vanished.

Heart pounding, Bella got off of her bed and rushed like a madwoman down the steps and towards the door. She wrenched it open to find Charlie take his sweet time heading up to the porch, his fingers thumbing through the mail. Without thought of her own safety, Bella ran outside, grabbed Charlie's arm, and started tugging him frantically. "H-hey! Bella! What are you – ? Stop!" But Bella didn't head him. Looking back, she saw Victoria crouching on Charlie's cruiser. Her eyes were sharp and glinting, her white teeth brilliantly terrifying in the night. Turning back around, Bella pushed Charlie inside, and shut the door, locking, bolting, and clicking it shut. Once the precautions were taken, Bella panted, her sweaty hands plastered to the door to keep it shut. She was on the verge of tears now, her body shuttering terribly. Charlie was silent behind her. Clearly, he was very confused. When Bella felt a warm hand on her back, Bella jumped and turned, staring at her father through wet eyes. Charlie was completely confused.

"...Bella? What... what's going on? Why are you...?" But he didn't get a chance to finish the sentence. Bella moved forward and embraced Charlie tightly, pushing her face into his chest. Without warning, she began to break down. Unable to say anything now, Charlie pet his crying daughter's head. Bella sobbed helplessly, her hands gripping the back of her father's shirt. She realized then... If anything ever happened to Charlie, she would never forgive herself. If he got hurt... Or worse, if he was killed... Bella wouldn't know what to do with herself. She coughed a couple of times, her crying getting in the way of her breathing. Charlie hugged Bella comfortingly, his chin on top of her head.

"I'm sorry," she choked out finally. "I'm sorry I've been so mean to you... I-I'm sorry I h-haven't... I'm sorry..." She repeated the phrase enough times for Charlie to sigh at her.

"Bells... Hey." He cupped a hand to her cheek, tilting her head up. "Come on now... It's all right." He wiped the tears away from her eyes. "Really. I know you've been going through a hard time. I understand..."

But he didn't understand. And that was what made even more tears come to Bella's eyes. She hugged him even tighter, unwilling to let go. "I love you, Daddy," she simpered.

A sympathetic chuckle came from her father. "I love you too, hon. Now let's have some dinner, yeah? I have to go back to work soo – "

"No!" Bella grabbed his shoulders, her face white with terror. "No! Don't go back tonight! Call in sick! Say you can't make it! Give it to Steve! J-just don't go back!"

Even more confusion added to his face. "But... Bella, there's been a lot of murders lately. I can't just – "

"You have to!" she practically screamed. "You have to stay here, Daddy! You have to! Just for tonight!"

A second sigh escaped him and he put a hand on her head. "Are you worried about me?" A tender smile hit his lips. "Bella... Honey, I'm completely protected. I have a gun with me at all times, and I haven't patrolled alone since I was attacked." Leaning forward, he kissed Bella's forehead, his mustache tickling her skin. "Don't worry so much. Your dad's the big strong superman."

"But you're not Superman..." said Bella, her lip quivering. "You could get hurt. Really, really hurt. I don't want to see you in the hospital again... Please... please promise me that you'll stay here tonight..."

After considering things, Charlie pat her head. "All right. I'll call Steve. He'll take over for me." Turning, he slipped himself away from Bella's grasp and went to use the phone in the kitchen. The girl then turned and went to the window. Pulling back the drapes, she stared at the car. Victoria had left for the moment. But Bella was certain she would make an appearance again.

That night, Bella stayed awake, just to make sure that Charlie didn't sneak away in the middle of the night. She was adamant about keeping him inside this evening. Finally, after she was sure that he was fast asleep, Bella cracked her window a bit and poked her head out. No sign of Victoria. Having dug out the bell from behind her bed, Bella took a breath and rang it. It noiselessly shifted back and forth in her hand. Taking her bell back, she waited. A chill entered her room and she grabbed her blanket to wrap around her shoulders. Finally, after about five minutes, a figure appeared from the shadows. Rosalie now sat where Victoria had, her face firm.

"Something wrong?" she asked.

"Yes... You can..." She paused. "Wait... are you really Rosalie?"

"Hey, what'd I miss?" Bella looked up as the ever bubbly Emmet accompanied her. Relief washed over Bella's body and she stepped aside from the window.

"You can both come in," she told them. They did so, Bella closing the window to keep the chill from coming in. She turned to them. "Victoria was just here. I think she's going to target my dad again."

Rosalie nodded firmly. "I was afraid of that. If you'd like, I'll ask Carlisle to work at the hospital from now on. Keep an eye on him."

"I would like that, yes..." Bella sat on her bed, her head in her hands. "And... after I'm gone, too."

A silence followed that statement. "After you're gone?" came Emmett's voice.

"Yes," sad Bella softly. "I'm... thinking about moving back with my mom. She's in Florida so... I doubt there are any vampires there..." She shut her eyes in thought. "But if I go... Oh God, I couldn't stand it if anything happened to Dad..."

Bella felt the springs beside her depress, as a firm, cold arm wrapped around her shoulders. "We won't let anything happen to him, ok?" Looking up to Emmett's kind face, she hugged him around the middle, feeling as though he was like a protective older brother. Emmett rubbed her back. "We'll miss you, kid. But it's for the best..."

"It'll be good for you to be out of danger. Plus, more than likely, the activity here will settle once you're gone. Which is good for all of us." Emmett frowned at Rosalie's callous remark. "What?"

Shaking his head, Emmett turned back to Bella. "We'll keep an eye on both of you until you leave, ok? When are you going?"

"After winter break."

"All right... We can manage that." Emmett patted her shoulder before looking to the window. "How about this? I'll stay here tonight and keep watch until the sun comes up. Would that be fine with you?" Bella nodded. "Great." Standing, Emmett turned to Rosalie. A smile came to his face. "I'll see you in the morning. Kiss me for good luck?"

Bella watched as Rosalie didn't seem amused. "What luck? If you get overwhelmed all you have to do is call us."

"Awe! You're no fun, Rosie!" They went over to the window and opened it up, both of them slipping outside. Bella went to close it as the two love birds hopped into the tree. Emmett was saying something that Bella couldn't here. Just before Rosalie bounded away, she turned to Emmett, and kissed him softly on the lips. Then, she hopped into the darkness, Emmett leaping up to Bella's roof.

With the security of Emmett above her, Bella was able to get a little decent sleep that night.

All right then. Looks like Bella's going to be leaving for good. How do you think Eddie will react, hm?

Review!

~T.


	14. Almost

Well well, it looks like I have a few new readers :3 Welcome! I'm so happy you've come to look at my stuff. And if you're interested in my book, the information to order it is on my FF page. And I know that Emmett's name keeps changing, but that's because... um...

Btw – the "boner" line is sort of an inside joke. A friend of mine always says that when he's displeased about something...

**Fourteen: Almost**

**G**etting up that morning was a very tedious thing for Bella. She had spent all night tossing and turning in a fit of nightmares, waking up every few hours in a cold sweat. So, when her alarm finally did go off for school, she couldn't help but lay there in a slump, not wanting to move at all. Her limbs felt like led, and her eyes had a rim of crust around them. However, she knew she couldn't be attached to her bed for too long, and so she got up to shuffle into the bathroom. Getting inside, she took her time to brush her hair and teeth, her eyes shifting to the window in her room. It was cloudy today. Which meant it would be very easy for Victoria to track and corner Charlie. After brushing her teeth, she splashed her face and went to the window. His cruiser was already gone. Cursing under her breath, she got dressed, slipped on her mother's cross, and grabbed her back pack. It had gotten considerably colder, now that the first week of December was almost up. There predicted to be at least a light snowfall before the month was over. Bella even heard that there would be snow before the high school was out for break. As she drove to said school, she had to admit that it was hard, knowing she would have to leave it. When could she come back, she wondered? Perhaps not until Victoria was dead. And with the ability to take the form of anything or anyone, that was not such an easy task. She remembered the night where she herself was tricked and nearly killed by the woman, who had then disguised herself as a little boy. A shudder came over her as she parked.

Stepping outside into the chilly morning air, she saw her friends sitting around Tyler's van, as usual. Jessica seemed all a flutter about the upcoming dance. It was the third Saturday of the month, and seemed to be coming up quicker every day. Bella could just imagine what Jessica was saying at that moment. _Just two more Fridays after this one!_ She smiled fondly as she adjusted the straps to her backpack. How she would miss this group. The kind, friendly, happy group of friends she had come to love so dearly. Taking a breath, she approached them. It'd be better to tell them that she was moving now than to just leave one day without a word. Approaching them, Tyler caught her eye and smiled. "Morning," he said pleasantly.

"Good morning," Bella replied. Jessica was still yammering on to Mike about how they should match at the dance. Mike didn't seem to be paying too much attention, but still nodded politely every now and again. "Um... guys?" Jessica was brought out of her word vomit to look over, as Bella caught there attention. "I have... well..." She took another breath. "I need to tell you guys something. After winter break... I'm going to move to Jacksonville." Part of her words were drowned out by voices asking her the usual questions: "What?" "Why?" "How come?" And so on. She held up her hand to quiet them, smiling meekly. "Things just haven't really been working out with my dad lately. That's all. So I'm going to move back with my mom."

"Awe, can't you at least wait until we're graduated?" Jessica wined. "I wanted us all to get our diplomas together!"

"I wish I could," said Bella honestly. "But I really can't stay for much longer. It's... just what's best for me, that's all."

"Well that bites," said Eric with a shake of the head. "Do you have a set date yet?"

"Probably after Christmas."

"Before New Year's?"

"Yeah."

"Boner!" said Tyler in disappointment. "That means you have to miss my New Year's party this year."

They continued the dialog, clearly wanting Bella to stay for at least Tyler's party. But she knew that if she stayed longer than needed, it was just more of an opening for Victoria. The others mused about throwing Bella some sort of going away party. They would have to have _some_ kind of send off for her. After all, they had spent over a year together. Bella insisted that there wasn't any need for one, but her pleas were drowned by the ideas that the others bounced off one another. The conversation stopped, however, when Bella felt a rather large hand rest on her head. Looking up, she saw Emmett smiling back at her, his face shadowed by his gray hoodie. He looped an arm around Bella's shoulders, smiling at them all.

"Morning!" he said brightly. Bella looked around his massive figure.

"Emmett... where's Rosalie?"

"Ah... Rosie's not feeling too hot today," he explained. Bella could see double meaning in his eyes. "Don't worry about it though. She's got a great dad."

A wave of relief fell over her and she smiled. So Rosalie was watching Charlie? Good. Emmett's eyes flashed over beyond the other humans and blinked. "Oh. There's Eddie. Oy!" He raised his hand, and Bella turned. The gesture caught Edward's attention from across the parking lot. The vampire stared at the both of them for a moment or two before turning away and slinking through the school doors. Guilt settled in Bella's stomach. Emmett probably told him that she was moving. Why couldn't she tell this to him herself? Perhaps she was too cowardly? That could be the only reason. As the group chatted, Bella was able to slip away from the others and quickly walk into the front building of her high school. Luckily, she found Edward standing beside his locker, putting his books in for the day. It was probably just a routine for him – the backpack couldn't be too heavy for him if he was able to cary people on his back. She caught his eyes before approaching him. Her hands nervously went behind her back.

"Hi," she said tentatively.

"Hey." He slid the last book into his locker before shutting it, spinning the lock, and turning to her, his back pack over one shoulder. "So... Emmett says you're moving?"

Who would have guessed? "Yeah," she said with a nod. "Um... at the end of the semester. Probably right after the dance." Jessica would track her down and skin her alive if she left before hand. An awkward silence followed her statement and she shifted from foot to foot. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you in person – "

"It's good." Blinking, Bella looked up to see Edward with a blank expression on his face. "That you're leaving, I mean. It's a lot safer if you're not here."

For some odd reason, even though it was the logical answer to agree, Bella couldn't help but feel stabbed at those words. What had she expected his reaction to be? Fall to his knees and beg her to stay? That wasn't Edward. He was brave, he was strong... But a perfect knight in shining armor he was not. Besides, if he had done something along those lines, it would have made things so much harder on Bella to do what was right. Still, it was hard to keep her disappointment from rising to her face. She pulled her backpack strap closer to her neck. "Yeah... I know." She let her eyes wander about the hallway, taking in its features and minute details. The way the paint was fading, the faint rust around the water fountain nozzles... "Still... I know I'm going to miss this place."

Turning to look Edward in the eye, she saw him start to turn around. They began walking to class together, side by side. "What... you're going to miss this damp little rag of a town?"

"Yes," said Bella defiantly. "All the friends I've made... my father... Jacob and the other shifters... and you too, Edward..." A pause settled between them once more. "Who knows? Maybe I can come back once the coast is clear?"

"And when will that be?" They stopped walking in the middle of the hallway, Edward turning to her. "Bella... It could be years until Victoria lets up. Then what? You'll come back for a friendly little visit? Soon you'll get..." He paused. "I mean – it's just that – " He fumbled around with his words before putting a hand to his forehead. Bella was confused.

"Edward? What are you...?"

He was quiet, trying to contemplate his next words. Slowly, he began to say them. "Bella..." He let his hand drop, only to raise it and touch her cheek. The leather was soft against her face, the cold skin beneath it making her shiver. "I just... I – I want you to know that I still... really..."

Bella's heart began to thud rapidly within her chest. "You still what?"

Edward's golden eyes shifted to hers, and the two stared at one another. Her mind pleaded with him to go on. What was it he still... did? Or felt? What was the ending to his sentence? Bella was dying to know. Before she knew it, he had taken a half step closer, his hand still on her face. She could see the faded freckles on his cheeks, long since paled from his initial transformation. His lips were a mere inch or two inches away. He attempted to say a word or two, but they died before he could finish his thought. But just before Bella was about to lean up and give in, a voice broke the moment.

"Ah, there you are," came the cheery tone of Jacob Black. Bella jumped slightly, immediately stepping away from Edward. They both looked over to see Jacob stride towards them, an all-too-merry smile on his face. Bella's insides twisted into knots, and she almost felt nauseous. What was she doing? Or once more, what was she _going_ to do? She had made her decision all that time ago that she wouldn't side with either one. She cursed her hormones for nearly tricking her into a kiss. Her head only tilted back up when she felt Jacob's hand on her shoulder. "Couldn't find you earlier. You had me worried for a minute there, Bella."

"What, are you her tracking dog now?" said Edward sourly. Jacob flashed his silver eyes in his direction.

"If it is, I don't see how it's any of your business," he said cooly.

Bella pulled herself away, not in the mood to witness another squabble. "Guys... Control yourselves. Please?" She shook her head. "It's been a long week. I don't want a fight to break out before the weekend between you two."

They looked from Bella to one another. Edward waisted no time simply turning around and walking away. Jacob seemed like he had a good word or two to shout in Edward's direction, but thought better of it. Instead, he turned to Bella and gave her another bright smile. "So then! I heard that you're leaving." His smile became a bit sad. "I figured you'd go the safe route."

Bella recalled herself, ignoring Edward's receding figure to speak. "Yes. It's best for everyone." She ran her fingers through her frizzy brown hair. "Once I'm gone, no body would have to fuss over me. Everyone can just go back to normal."

Jacob scratched the back of his neck, frowning off to the side. "Well... I guess that's true, but..." He turned back to her and lightly tapped her chin. "You know we don't mind fussing over you, right? At least I don't." He then gave a coy smile, his eyes twinkling in a charming fashion. And yet... Bella could only present a small smile in return.

"I know, Jake. And I appreciate it. But I'm still going."

"Yeah, I know, I know..." Jacob let his hand drop, his dark hair falling about his neck and shoulders. He put his hands in his pockets before turning to look up to Bella. "You're still going to the dance, right?"

Bella chuckled. "Yes, I'm still going to the dance."

"Good... Because I want at least one slow dance before you leave."

Bella opened her mouth to respond, but the bell above her rang before she could. She and Jacob hugged before parting ways and heading to their first classes. Emmett was already sitting in his seat, waiting for her. As she sat beside him, he propped his chin into his hand, looking at her. Bella gave him a strange look as he kept his stare. "What?"

"I saw you talking with Eddie," he remarked. "What does he think of you leaving?"

Remembering the onrush of sudden feelings, Bella tried to be as nonchalant as she could about the whole thing. "He thinks it's the best choice for me. I agree with him." She pulled out her notebook and flipped it to an empty page. "Why? What were you hoping for?"

Emmett let out a long, dramatic sigh and put his hands behind his head, leaning against his chair. "Nothing, I guess," he said simply. "But you know he's going to miss you like crazy... right?" He shifted his glance towards her out of the corner of his eye, as if to see her reaction. Again, Bella tried to seem apathetic, despite her inner turmoil.

"That's not my fault," she said, rather coldly. "We had our time together, but that's all over now."

"Is it?"

Bella felt a jump inside of her and she turned to look at Emmett. "What do you mean by that?"

Emmett merely shrugged before laying his forehead on the table. "Just that he's already exiled from home anyway. It wouldn't hurt to let him know you care before going." With that, he laid on his cheek and shut his eyes. It was, after all, time for his mid-morning nap.

So there we have it. It looks like Bella's really going to go, doesn't it? Leave a review! How do you think the dance with Jacob will go over? And do you think Eddie will get over his shyness?

Till next time

~T.


	15. A Quiet Moment

Hi again everyone. So, I have some exciting news! There is now a paperback option for my book, which is much cheeper than the soft cover version! Since I can't put urls in chapters, just send me a message if you're interested, and i'll give you the link. Anyway, on with the story.

**Fifteen: A Quiet Moment**

"**Y**ou seem to be awfully quiet today. Anything on your mind?"

Bella broke her distant gaze from the gray sky through the window to turn to Dr. Strass, who sat in front of her. After her first meeting with the psychiatrist turned out to be a bust, Charlie convinced his daughter to give it another shot. And so, she sat that Sunday morning in the man's office, listening to the muffled noise of the hospital outside the door, and staring at the slowly ascending snow flakes that were just barely gracing the air beyond the window. To be completely honest, she had so much on her mind that she hardly cared where she was going that day. All Saturday and Friday, Bella had had her mind filled with thoughts of what she was to do. About moving, about Edward, about her friends... And finally, about her father. Bella still hadn't broken the news that she was leaving yet, and to be perfectly honest, she wasn't sure how she could. She could just imagine his face fill with heartbreak at the news. First Bella practically went crazy and now she was leaving him? Looking at the situation from his side, even she had to admit it was unfair. But with the current situation being what it was, there was no way to go around what she had to do. She was only grateful that her mother had refrained from accidentally breaking the news before she got a chance to tell him.

Blinking a few times, Bella gave Dr. Strass a bit of a blank stare. "What now?" she asked.

"I asked if there was anything on your mind," the doctor repeated. He folded one knee over the other, his hands laced in his lap. "If there's anything you'd like to talk about, we have an hour."

"Oh." Bella's eyes turned down to her lap as she fiddled with the hem of her shirt. Anything on her mind? Oh, quite a bit. But how much could she get away with? Then again, psychiatrists were supposed to be bound by a promise of confidentiality, weren't they? "Well... I'll be moving soon."

"I see. Where to? Back with your mother?"

"Yes... Over in Jacksonville."

"Ah." He shifted in his chair before picking up his clipboard. "Why the sudden change?"

This would be the difficult part. Bella merely shrugged. "No reason I guess."

"None whatsoever?" There was a silence. "Well... Does it have anything to do with your father?" Bella was unsure how to answer, so she remained silent. "A boy then, maybe?" A third silence filled the room. "A girl perhaps?"

"What?" Taken aback, Bella looked up. "Um... No. I can definitely say it's not that."

"Are you sure?"

"Very."

"All right then. What is it? I may be a professional, Isabelle, but I can't read your mind."

Sighing heavily, Bella propped her chin in her hand and stared out the window yet again. "If you did, you'd think I was nuts."

"Oh?" Bella looked up to see a slight smile on Dr. Strass's face. "Well you seem fairly normal up until now. Why don't you try me?"

She considered it. Twisting her hand into the bottom of her shirt, she looked straight into the calm eyes of her doctor. After a moment or two, she took a breath and scooted forward in her chair, her elbows on her knees. She rubbed her hands together, her heart clenching somewhat. "All right," she began slowly. "But I warned you." Dr. Strass gave a kind gesture, allowing her to continue. Taking another breath, she began.

"When I moved here, I found out that a classmate of mine was actually a vampire. He and I really didn't like each other to begin with, so we were both kind of fine with leaving each other alone. But then it was really cold out and this van nearly hit me, so he saved me from it, which got his dad angry with him. Er – his adoptive dad. Sort of. They're not really related – they're all vampires and only these really special vampires can have off spring... or something... I'm not quite sure how it works. Anyway. So, yeah, he saved me and then his dad got angry with him, and with me for like... knowing now. But then there were these three other vampires who came to Forks for hunting or something, and they actually hated his family for being these peace keeping vampires or whatever. So they tried to screw with them by going after me. I guess they thought I was some kind of pet or something. So they try going after me, and because of this, this guy and his family have to try and protect me. Only thing is that now my best friend turns out to be this wolf shifter thing. Not a werewolf, those are different. So he's protecting me too now. Well, we finally got one of the bad vampires killed, and the other two ran off. Oh, and me and the vampire guy hooked up just before that. We started going out for a while, until his dad found out and he took their whole family up north the day after my birthday. So my wolf friend and I go up to Seattle for that summer where we met my biker wolf friends. They're really werewolves, you know, change at the full moon and all that stuff. But then there were these hunters. And they started going after them, so we had to go back to my friend's reservation. Turns out all the Native Americans here are all shifters of some kind. And then Ed- er, my vampire boyfriend shows back up before we leave, but by that time I've already sorta moved on with my wolf friend, you know? So then I was going back and forth between the two until I realized that my vampire boyfriend was actually only using me as a replacement for his ex... or... well, he wasn't doing it on purpose, you know? He was doing it... what, subconsciously, I think? Anyway, so then the hunters caught up to us and ended up killing Mac – he was one of my werewolf friends – and so Nickey had to be the new leader of the pack. And I tried forgetting about both of the guys because I didn't want to side with either one. But now Victoria's back – er, she's one of the bad vampires from last year – and she wants to kill me now or something. So now I have to get out of Forks to save my own skin. But here's the problem: I think I might be in love with Ed – um... my vampire boyfriend, even though he's probably just using me. But I also don't want to hurt my wolf friend either, and I know he really likes me. But I'm afraid that if I don't do anything and just leave, I'll hurt them both. And I know that they're both going to miss me, but I just don't know what to do any more!"

After finally stopping, Bella found that she actually had to pant a little bit just to catch her breath. Dr. Strass had since let his lips part, his eyes wide at the lengthy explanation. The only noise in the room was the faint echo of the overhead in the rest of the hospital. Finally, the moment of silence was broken when Dr. Strass rubbed his eyes and let out a throaty noise. "Miss Swan." He turned to look back up to Bella, now seeming a bit upset. "I understand if you don't like the therapy process, but to make up wild stories like this is just childish. Now..." He once more flipped open his notebook, jotting down a note or two. "Perhaps you wouldn't mind getting to the real problem?"

Defeated and deflated, Bella let herself fall against the back of her chair, hugging a pillow to her stomach. A frown now etched itself on her lips, though her eyes were dejected, rather than angry. She knew the man probably wouldn't have believed her. And yet, she had hoped somewhere, deep down, that he would have. No matter how slight the hope was. She felt herself wildly grasping at nothing, wishing for something to hold onto. Anything. But clearly, that hope was in vain.

Bella spent the rest of their time together in silence.

After their session was over, Charlie was called into the room before picking Bella up. No doubt the doctor was going to express his disappointment in Bella. Her eyes shifted around the hospital scene in hopes of perhaps finding Carlisle. But alas, she couldn't spot his face. It was sunny, despite the snow, so he was probably safe inside his home. When Charlie emerged from Dr. Strass's office, his brow was dark, and he seemed displeased. Standing, Bella followed her father out to the cruiser that he used to come pick her up in. For the most part, the ride home was silent. Bella tapped lightly on her frosted window, watching as the buildings and trees passed by her. The radio buzzed with off and on voices, but nothing seemed too dangerous.

"Dr. Strass says that you tried to tell him some kind of story today," he gruffed finally. Bella turned to look up to the man, her eyes vacant. "How come?" Still feeling rather depressed about the whole thing, Bella merely shrugged. She was emotionally exhausted from the whole thing, and looked forward to a hot bath when she got home. "Bella, I take you to Dr. Strass's office to help you. You know that."

"Yeah," she said simply.

"So why are you making things so difficult?" he continued. "I know what you went through, Bella, but it's time to start growing up."

Bella pressed her cheek to the cold window, her eyes closing. She could feel the vibration of the car as it made its way down the uneven roads. "Dad... I'm going to move back with mom soon." A very tense quiet hit the car. Bella couldn't bare to turn and look at him, but after a moment or two, she had no choice. Dreading what she would find, Bella turned to look at her father. He didn't seem to change much, but he now seemed much more fixated on the road.

"Oh?" he asked, his voice somewhat softer. He tapped his finger on the back of the wheel in thought. "Any... particular reason?"

"It's not because of you," Bella said, glad she could speak the truth.

"Ok then, what is it because of?"

She took her time answering. "I just... sort of need a change, I guess." Reaching over, she gripped her father's arm. "I loved being with you, Dad. But I can't... stay in this tiny town anymore. I just can't." If only she could explain the reasons why. Then perhaps her father's eyes wouldn't seem so crestfallen.

"I understand," he said with a nod. "Have you talked to your mom about this?"

"Yeah. She wants me back really bad."

"Well she misses you," said Charlie simply. Stopping at a red light, Charlie leaned against his chair and rubbed his temple. His eyes shifted to his daughter and the two looked at one another. Finally, Charlie reached over and gave her a firm, one armed hug, which she returned eagerly. He rubbed her back. "So long as you're happy, I'm happy."

Bella could feel tears and regret welling up inside her, but she took everything she had to hold them both back. "Thanks Daddy," she muttered, clutching his chest. They had to break in order for him to drive again. For the rest of the drive home, Bella was silent, watching as the snowflakes fell and melted against her window.

Sorry it's kind of short. Sort of a father-daughter moment going on here. See you next week

~T.


	16. Lenore

Hey everyone! Good news – from this chapter on, no more meandering filler! This is one I've been wanting to do since I started E+E ¬w¬ so for those of you who are still wondering about Alice... prepared to have your socks rocked. Do you recall in the first one, when Alice told Bella the story of Lenore?

Flashback-y time!

**Sixteen: Lenore**

**O**f all the places to go alone to at sunset on a cloudy day, Bella found herself, for a fourth time that year, in front of Lydia's mystic shop. She knew she should have probably gone with a body guard, but she felt as though she needed to go alone, as stupid as the feeling was. It was the Saturday before the dance, and soon, she'd be leaving Forks for good. Probably forever. Snow had already started falling there, though it wasn't as thick as it was the year before. Instead, the ground was only lightly powdered with a frosty white glaze, turning brown with mud in some parts of the road. Bella took a breath, the icy air stabbing at her on the inside, and stepped forward. She felt as though she needed to say goodbye to Lydia. After all, if it wasn't for her warnings, she might have been dead long ago. Or at least injured in some way. Walking inside, she saw that winter decorations were now draped along the cluttered shelves and walls. Not so much Christmas, just winter oriented trinkets and pictures. Lydia was at her front table, scribbling something on a sheet of paper. Her eyes shifted up to see Bella walking in and she smiled.

"Hello there, child," she said, setting the paper aside. "How are you today?"

"Fine, I guess. Are you busy at all?"

Lydia chuckled. "No, not really. Come in, Bella. Have a seat." She did so, her hands folded in her lap. Lydia poured them both a couple cups of tea, setting the tiny, Asian pot back on its burner. "Now... to what do I owe this little visit?" She blew on her tea before taking a sip.

Bella turned her eyes down to the substance before her. She counted the little black specks down at the bottom, wondering if Lydia could read the leaves once the tea was gone. Raising it, she took a sip herself, the hot liquid making her throat warm. "Well... I guess I came to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? Are you leaving?"

"Yeah. I'm going to live with my mother in Jacksonville." Bella looked up to see Lydia smiling gently at her.

"Good... that's very good, my dear. The farther you are from this place, the better."

Bella nodded, though her heart was heavy. After taking another sip from her tea cup, she set it on the saucer in front of her. "I... also wanted to ask you something. Although, I guess... I guess it's more that I want to tell you than ask you."

"Oh? Pray tell, dear."

"Um... Well do you remember when you gave me my prediction on my birthday?"

"I do indeed."

"Right." Bella cleared her throat and picked her tea back up. "It's just that... I've heard that prediction before."

"Have you? My my..." She leaned against her chair, picking up her ever familiar cherrywood pipe and lighting it. "By whom, might I ask? In a dream?"

"No." Bella ran her finger along the rim of her teacup. "By um... by a vampire." She looked up to see Lydia's reaction. The woman's pipe was suspended half way to her lips, her smile leaving her.

"Who?" she asked simply.

"One of Edward's sisters... Alice."

Bella watched as Lydia's face quickly went into surprise, and then drew back into a blank face. She closed her eyes, taking a puff of her pipe. "So," she said finally, her sweet smoke leaving her lips as she spoke. "You know Alice, do you?"

Bella's heart shot up into her throat. "Yes..." She leaned in eagerly. "Do you know her too?"

Lydia took her time answering that. She let her eyes fall closed, concentrating on her pipe. After letting out a long puff, she nodded. "I do. Of course... I should know her." Her eyes shifted upwards. "She's my ancestor, after all. My great, great aunt, I suppose. Give or take a few greats."

Intrigued, Bella leaned against the counter, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Really? So you're related? Wow... I never knew." She fidgeted slightly. "If... if you don't mind me asking, what's her story? How did she get the way she is?"

Lydia rubbed her temple, frowning slightly. "How? You really want to know, Bella?" Her question was met with an eager nod. "Very well then." Taking yet another drag on her pipe, Lydia set it back down, and blew the smoke into her hand. Bella watched as it formed slowly into wisps around her fingers and palm. It was like a slow, soft cloud, gently churning in Lydia's grasp. Bella was mesmerized. She leaned in, watching as the smoke formed and sighed, almost seeing shapes appear. "Bella... do you know the story of Dracula? The true story." She shook her head, still staring at the smoke. It almost seemed to be forming a face. "He was real. Very terribly real. And he had a lover. Her name... was Lenore..."

...Transylvania in the 1400's was a desolate place, particularly at night. Around the country side, the wolves howled, and the moon rose high. Clouds slowly transcended across the sky like bits of spider web, forming into ghostly, ghastly shapes. The wind, so crisp and smooth, whistled against hollow logs and long stems of grass. There was a peasant village along the ground. In some tiny homes, firelight shined. In others, the windows were completely dark. And sitting high above it all, perched upon a mountain's rocky top, sat a grand, spectacular castle. Its stone was solid and well placed, the Gothic designs leaving eery shadows across the ground, and along its walls. High above, within a room of the castle, burned a warm, romantic night. Inside was a spacious, grand bedroom, large candles melting their wax down to the iron that held them. On a table near the open window, there sat a large vanity, a mirror with a detailed frame sitting above it. In the fire place, a roaring, orange flame burned brightly, illuminating the red room that surrounded it. And across from that flame sat a large bed, draped with beautiful red silk. Within those sheets, two figures could be seen embracing one another. Their voices echoed against the walls as they made love, their shadows moving slowly against the wall behind them.

When they finished, the man rolled off of the woman, allowing himself to calm and cool. He let his head fall to the pillow, a bead of sweat or two falling down from his temple. He was a well built man, but had a sleek feature to his body despite this. His hair was long and dark, falling in ringlets around his head and neck. A mustache sat on his upper lip, two almond shaped eyes of brown. He sighed in content, letting his fingers slide through his hair. "Mm..." He turned to the woman beside him, a smile on his face. "You, my darling, are an enigma."

The woman beside him smiled, pushing her nose into the man's neck. "Oh Vladimir," she cooed softly. She was a petite woman, slender and willow like in stature, but not lacking in any womanly attributes. Her hair was long, a mixture between dark red and black, and hung like apart of her shadow, its glossy shine shimmering in the fire light. She opened her eyes to look at him – two bright orbs of blue – and kissed his cheek. He chuckled against her and rolled to his side, softly petting her arm.

"How did I find such a girl as beautiful as you, Lenore?"

"You flatter me, Vladimir." She leaned forward, kissing him on the lips this time, as they hunkered together. "We are merely essential to one another. You, a prince to let me live in luxury – "

"And you the most brilliant sorceress I have ever come across," Vladimir finished. "Tell me, what does the future hold for me?"

"I have already told you, darling. Must I repeat myself?"

"Yes, yes! I wish to hear it!" Vladimir kept his smile, laying a kiss on her neck. She giggled.

"I see a life of immortality for your very name. Centuries from now, people will fear it – nay, worship it."

"And how do I achieve it, Lenore?"

Lenore paused before frowning slightly. "That I do not know. My visions are limited, Vladimir. You know this."

"Yes well..." Vladimir played with the tips of her hair, kissing it lightly. "I had hoped that your mind my be a little clearer tonight." Lenore smiled at him, and the two curled up together, Vladimir's arms wrapping around her. But their peace together was cut short, by a sudden burst of wind. It was enough to wipe out the fire and candle light, leaving the room in a bleak state of darkness, lit now only by the moon. Vladimir and Lenore both bolted upright, the woman clutching her blankets to her chest. They both stared at the window, an unsettling atmosphere fitting itself in the room instead. It wasn't long until they saw a shadowy figure appear on the railing of their window. Lenore gasped slightly, a hand going to her mouth. She felt Vladimir's arm lay in front of her, her lover glaring at the window.

"Who are you?" he demanded firmly. "What do you want!" That's when they both saw a flash of red eyes, freezing them over with fear. The figure remained where it was, its red eyes gleaming, and its cloak fluttering in the breeze.

"_Posso entrare?_" it finally said. The voice was male. Sleek, slender, almost like a viper's hiss. Lenore clutched Vladimir's arm tightly, clearly frightened. Vladimir glanced at the woman before turning back to the figure. Clearly, neither of them spoke Italian. "May I enter?" it finally said in Romanian.

Vladimir gave another look to Lenore before sliding out of bed. He put on his house robe and quickly grabbed a dagger from his bedside table. Standing, he held it out to this figure, standing proud and tall. "Who are you!" he demanded a second time. "Show yourself!"

"I cannot," said the man simply. "Not unless you invite me in, Your Highness."

Vladimir swallowed, but remained where he was. "Are you the devil?" he asked.

There was a slight pause. "No," he said. "But I am quite close, I suppose. Now... may I come in?"

Lenore shook her head rapidly, but Vladimir ignored her. Instead, he slowly lowered his weapon, though did not put it away entirely. Finally – "Very well. You may come in."

Another pause ensued before the figure gracefully made his way into Vladimir's room. He moved with an air of superiority about him, practically gliding to the floor. When he stepped into the moonlight, Lenore and Vladimir were both shocked to see that the face was actually quite youthful. Perhaps no older than someone in their twenties. Younger even. He had a face of pallid white, his dark hair sleek and long down his back, coming up to a widow's peak to his forehead. And his eyes were indeed a sharp shade of blood red. He stared at Vladimir with no fear, hardly considering the knife as a threat. "Now," Vladimir began, the knife shining in the moonlight. "Tell me. Who are you? What do you want?"

"My name is unimportant," said the man simply. "What is important, however, is indeed what I want." Slowly, he stretched a long, spindle hand as white as his face up from the dark black cloak he was wearing. He pointed straight to Vladimir, making the man take a step back. "That is you, Prince Vladimir Tepes the III."

Vladimir was speechless. His face had a look of shock that made him forget that he was holding a weapon at all, which was why it dropped. Lenore watched all of this, still clinging to the bedsheet to hide her body. "...Me?" Vladimir croaked finally. The man put his hand back down. "Wh...what do you want with me? H-have you come to kill me?"

The man broke into a terrible smile at that, as though Vladimir had uttered a joke. Lenore saw that his teeth were perfectly straight and bright white. Almost abnormally so, with two very pointed canines on his top row. "In a sense."

"Well you will not!" Vladimir boomed, picking his dagger back up. He gestured it towards him.

"Your weapon will not harm me. I suggest you put it down." But Vladimir did not. To which, the man held up a hand. "I do not come to harm you. Merely to help you."

"To kill me is to help me?" Vladimir hissed. "How? It makes no sense."

"I have come to offer a deal."

"...deal?"

"Yes. All the power you could ever ask for. All the respect and fear you desire. All for a simple transaction."

"And what is this transaction?"

"You're soul."

There was a silence after that. A long moment later, Vladimir broke into laughter. The man didn't find it funny, though he did keep his terrible smile. "What is this? Some sort of trick?"

"I can assure you, it's nothing of the sort."

"Well what then?"

"It is as I say. I will give you the glory you so desperately want, all for the exchange of your soul... and your loyalty to me and my brothers."

"Loyalty...? I am loyal to no man but myself!"

"Are you? So you are a fool who chooses pride over power? Pity." His deadly eyes shifted to Lenore. "Ask her if you are uncertain. She is the one who tells you your future, is she not?" Lenore felt her body seize up, unable to move until Vladimir called her name.

"Is what he says true?" he asked simply. She turned to him, trembling almost. "Will I get the power I desire if I take this deal?" Lenore stared at him for a moment before closing her eyes. She racked her brains, trying hard to find some sort of answer to this question. When it came to her, she slowly looked up to the man, her eyes wide.

"Yes," she said. "If you believe this man... if you take his deal... then your future as a living immortal will be sealed."

Vladimir looked at her, almost in disbelief, before turning back to the man. "You see?" he said. "I am telling you the truth. Now..." He held out his hand. "Do we have a deal, Prince Tepes?" Vladimir stared at that outstretched hand for quite some time, deliberating. Though what she said was the truth, Lenore silently begged him in her mind not to take this deal. It frightened her what this man would do to him. However, swayed by the thought of power and immortality, Vladimir's hand rose and he took the man's palm. What happened next was too fast for any human being to truly catch what went on. The man, after taking Vladimir's hand, pulled him in quickly and wrenched his neck back. Leaning forward, he sunk his teeth deeply into Vladimir's neck. Lenore was too startled to scream, and instead jumped and gasped, a hand going to her mouth. She watched as the man she loved was slowly drained of life, his color leaving his very face. When the man had his fill, he stood, letting Vladimir drop to the ground. Acting purely on instinct, Lenore ran to her collapsed love, falling to her knees and cradling his head. She turned two frightened eyes up to the beast that stood before her. On his thin lips was a slim sheen of Vladimir's red, red blood. He took a couple steps back into the shadows and then leapt from the ledge, vanishing into the night...

"...The Volturi knew that Vladimir was a strong man. That he would make an even stronger vampire. With humans on the rise against the world of night, they would need him for a chance of survival. But for poor Lenore, her world became Hell because of it. Her lover had become a monster..."

...For days, Vladimir had not come out of his room. Lenore tried serving him food, but he refused to eat, or even let himself be seen by her. One afternoon, instead of leaving his meal at the door to be untouched, Lenore carefully pushed it open, stepping inside. The curtains were drawn tightly, and even tied together. There were no candles around the room, the sleeping prince resting in complete darkness. Lenore lit a small candle and then brought his lunch tray over to the man. Setting it down, she gently sat on his bedside. With a timid hand, she touched his brown hair.

"What do you want?" came his irritated voice. It cut her to the core, but she kept composed.

"I've brought your lunch. Come, darling, will you not eat one bite?"

"I have already _told_ you, woman, I am not hungry for food!" He refused to turn around, the blankets tightly around his shoulders and his back to her.

"What then?" Lenore pleaded desperately. "Vladimir, I have not seen you move from this room in a week! You do not eat, you do not drink... You don't even look at me..."

"There are better things to look at."

Lenore jerked at that comment, feeling almost slapped. Her lip trembling, she gripped his shoulder. "What is it? Have you grown tired of me, Vladimir? Vladimir? Oh please, Vladimir, answer me..."

"Vladimir, Vladimir, _Vladimir!_ _Must_ you repeat my name so many times?"

"At least look at me then! Please! Tell me you still love me! Let me know what is wrong – !" She stopped, mid sentence, as Vladimir turned to her. His face was still as deathly pale as it was the day he made the dreaded deal. But that was not what shocked her. Vladimir's eyes, which had once held such a warm, brown color, were now black. Deep, dark, vapid black. It made her tremble with fear and sadness, seeing those eyes. But she could only stare for a moment before he grabbed her and flopped her onto the mattress, pressing her there. She whimpered, gripping the sheets tightly. But Vladimir did not strike her. Instead, he let his fingers trail through Lenore's long, smooth hair. He laughed ruefully.

"I have always loved your hair," he remarked. Holding it up to his face, he smelled it. It seemed to remind him of their many nights together. Passionate and innocent. He turned his black eyes back to her. She watched as he reached over to get something. Her heart pounded heavily as she realized that it was a knife. Hyperventilating, she began to beg him. What would he do? Would he stab her? Slice her? He suddenly grabbed her hair by the fistful, pulling it. She screamed. Terribly loud. But no one dared help her and risk angering their prince. Taking the blade, he began haphazardly chopping and cutting her beautiful hair. Until all that was left was a short mop of dark black, hanging around her face and neck. She sobbed into the pillow, curled up and trembling. He seemed to pause after his act of cruelty, a fist full of hair in one hand, and the blade in another. Deliberating for a moment or so, he threw the blade to the side, as well as the hair, and got off of her.

"Leave." With teary eyes, Lenore looked up, petrified of the man she once loved. "I said LEAVE!" She jumped at that, rushing out of the bedroom and slamming the door behind her. She cried all the way to her room...

"...That must have been terrible," said Bella, her heart clouding with sympathy. "What happened after?"

"Vladimir began to control himself a little while later. He also began using his new abilities to his advantage in war. This was precisely what the Volturi wanted. As for Lenore, she remained by his side as a human until the night of Vladimir's proposal..."

...Lenore stood in the room that she had shared so many good times in with the man whom she once had loved and adored. Now she stood, not with love in her heart, but with fear and apprehension. It was night time – the only time Vladimir would be active these days. This time, the fire was going, but it made the room seem threatening more than romantic.

Vladimir stood beside the fire place, dressed well and calm. He toyed with a tiny tin horse on the mantle before turning to her. His eyes had changed from a deep black to a shocking gold. How, Lenore did not know. Nor would she ask. He took a step or two forward and stopped, his hands behind his back. "How are you doing?"

"Fine," she answered swiftly, her hands clutching her dress. "Your Highness," she added. Vladimir sighed and rubbed his nose.

"There is no need to be so tightly strung, darling."

"How can I relax? You have... changed so very much, Vladimir. How can I trust the man you are?"

She watched as Vladimir's eyes slowly reminded her of the one she once loved. He took another few steps forward, nearly beside her now. He reached out and touched the tip of her now short hair. She had trimmed it to where it now fanned out around her head, making her neck seem all the more swan like. He let his fingers travel down it, his eyes staring at her tendons. As though he was fascinated by her neck. It got to the point where Lenore actually felt shivers and put a hand to her neck, blocking it from his view. He turned his eyes back up to her, letting his hand take her own.

"I still love you," he said sincerely, taking another step forward. Raising her palm, he kissed the inside of it, his eyes closing. He let his lips linger before connecting with her eyes yet again. "Darling... I have the chance to create a world. A world just for the two of us. Where we can be free." His hand slithered around her waist, and he brought her in close. "Come, Lenore... Be my immortal queen. Let me love you until time itself is lost."

She was tempted. His sweet words were slowly bringing her closer and closer to saying yes, though she shifted, shivering. "Your skin is so cold now, my love..." Indeed, Vladimir's once warm touch had faded into a clammy, chilling one. Vladimir leaned forward, letting their lips hover close together.

"_Please_, Lenore..." he begged softly. "I want you... I _need _you. By my side... forever and always..." He kissed her neck, making Lenore slowly melt into his grasp, her heart plummeting in the most delightful way. "Will you be my queen?" he huffed.

Slowly but surely, Lenore nodded, giving her consent. That's when Vladimir leaned forward, baring his now incredibly sharp fangs...

"So Lenore became a vampire?"

"She did. For centuries, they remained side by side, as Count Tepes, later to be known as Count Dracula, did indeed become infamous. His name lived on for generations, many of the townspeople fearing the very mention of it. The Volturi were never so pleased with their work. But then, around the turn of the century, Lenore awoke one evening to something terrible..."

"...ah..." Lenore stretched and yawned, pushing the coffin lid above her up. "Hm..." She turned to the window in the wall, smiling at the beautiful night sky. "Darling, there's a wonderful moon out..." She turned back to the coffin beside her, but noticed that it was empty. Completely empty. This confused her. Standing, she got out of the coffin and made her way up the stone steps of the old castle. "Vladimir?" she called. There was no answer. She went to the main hall of the old building, the spiderwebs and dust draping the stairs and walls. "Vladimir!"

"He will not answer you."

Lenore turned to see a man standing there. He was a large fellow, but aged, with a well built stature. By the smell of him, he was human. He seemed tired and drained, but still very much alive and strong. "Your love is no more."

Lenore didn't say a word for a moment or two. That's when she recognized the man. "...Van Helsing... That's you, isn't it? The one my beloved has been fighting lately."

"Yes. And I am here to collect young Mina. Where is she?"

"...who?"

"Mina. The girl whom Count Dracula has taken. Tell me where she is. I do not want to hurt you."

"Wait... wait where is Vladimir...?" Her blood began to rush as she feared the worst. "You.. you said that my lover... is no more...?"

"Yes," said Van Helsing. "He put up a decent fight. But he did not last that long." He then dropped a bloodied stake on the ground. Lenore put her hands to her mouth, close to tears.

"H...how...? Why...?"

"I do not wish to hurt you." Lenore snapped her eyes upwards to Van Helsing, fear and anger bubbling inside. "Now... Tell me, where is Mina?"

Lenore's breath began to pulse through her chest harder and harder, anger welling up within her breast. She began growling, baring her fangs and hissing. Her hands went rigid, forming claws with her fingernails. "You... you killed him... you _killed_ him..!" She practically screamed, her body going stiff as she did so. Lurching forward, she lunged at Van Helsing. However, something was pressed to her face, making her screech in pain. It was a silver cross, and it was burning her entire face. She tumbled backwards, clutching it. Looking up, she saw Van Helsing stand there, the cross gleaming in his hand.

"Now. Tell me. Where is Mina?"

Lenore could not stand this anymore. She shook her head wildly, her eyes spouting tears, and rushed out the window and into the night. She ran and she ran and she ran. Her short hair fluttered about her face and neck as she did so, her tears spilling every step of the way...

"...For half a century or more, she wandered about aimlessly. There is something you must know, Bella. There are some vampires that can survive alone. But most cannot. After Vladimir was killed, Lenore's mind seemed to leave her. Somehow, she would up in America. Furthermore, in a mental hospital. That's when she met Carlisle Cullen..."

...The St. Peter's Asylum for the Insane sat on a hill, well away from the rest of civilization. For who would want to travel up to see the mentally ill anyway? Currently, it was night time. All the inmates were asleep. Well, all except for one. One special patient, sitting in the corner of her confinement. She wore a patient's garb, a sheet strewn over her cell window. Hidden in the dark, a book was clutched in her palms. _Through the Looking Glass_ sat cradled against her knees, as she red, her eyes a faded gold color, shining through the darkness. A pair of footsteps was heard outside her room. She looked up, her thin body remaining where it was. That's when a figure, almost completely white, like a ghost, unlocked her door and stepped inside. He shut it then, and the woman stared at his face. This was a doctor she hadn't seen before.

But she knew, instantly, that he was not human.

"Would you be the girl that the others call 'Alice'?" he asked. His voice was deep and commanding, his blond hair slicked back against his pale head. Alice shifted before setting her book down.

"Perhaps," she said. "Who might you be?"

"My name is Carlisle," he said simply. "I have come to offer you freedom." He held out his hand for her to take. She did not.

"Why?" she asked, her eyes narrowed.

"You do not belong here."

She scoffed. "Neither do you, by the way it smells."

"I am offering you a chance for a better life."

"My life is fine the way it is."

"Is it?" No answer was given to that. Carlisle walked forward, crouching down in front of her. "I am assembling a family of sorts. I want you to be apart of it. We are a group of peace keepers."

Alice snorted coldly. "_Peace keepers?_ Why in the _world_ would I want to be apart of _that?_"

"Because I can tell what is in your heart." Alice's smile slowly fell as he continued. "You're lonely, aren't you? Terribly, dreadfully lonely..." It was true. By the look on her face, it was obvious that Carlisle knew the truth. Once more, he held out his hand. "The life I offer is not exciting. But it is warm. You will have people beside you. You'll never be alone."

Alice thought about this, staring at his hand. After a moment or two, she reached up, slowly, and took it...

Bella sat there after the story, her hands on her lap. The smoke had since cleared, and Lydia was currently snubbing out the pipe, ridding it of its tobacco. Bella stared at her hands then, suddenly feeling guilt. "So that was why she wanted to warn me," she said softly, her chest hurting. "...Poor Alice."

"What about poor me?"

Bella turned sharply, seeing none other than Alice standing before her, draped in a ruby red cloak. Her golden eyes shifted to Lydia and she smiled. "Hello, Lydia."

"Hello."

She turned back to Bella then and stepped forward. "Enjoying my story? It's quite a fun one, isn't it?" Bella shook her head, but there was no use trying to deny what she had heard. Alice turned then and headed for the door. "Come. It's dark out. I was told to find and escort you back." She began to walk towards the door, when Bella called out to her.

"Alice." She paused, keeping her back turned to Bella. "I'm sorry. About Vladimir. I'm.. really sorry."

Alice hesitated for a long moment. After which, she turned to Bella, and said: "It was a long time ago. Now come." With that, she and the vampire headed outside, where Alice then put her on her shoulders and raced back to Forks.

Whew. That took a lot outta me. Let's see those reviews shine!

~T.


	17. At the Dance

Hey everyone. Sorry this wasn't updated sooner. But my internet is being a real bitch... Anyway, it's safe to say now that I'll be updating on Saturdays again instead of Wednesdays. Let's hop to it, shall we?

**Seventeen: At the Dance**

**T**here were only a few times a year Bella found herself wearing a dress, formally or otherwise. This happened to be one of those times. Staring at herself in the mirror, she observed the contours of the gown that Jessica had forced her to buy for the winter dance. Even though it was somewhat lower than what she had liked, Bella had to admit, she grew fonder and fonder of it the more she stared. It was a longer gown than Jessica would have liked, but Bella was fond of it. Reaching down to her mid calf, the dress was a subtle shade of gold, almost neutral in its hue. Along with it, Bella had a brown, tie together sweater that reached just below her bosom. Her shoes were a small set of brown heels, and her face had been caked lightly with a bit of eye shadow and lip liner. She didn't go too heavy on it, but did manage to give her otherwise pale face just a hint of color. Currently, she was putting her usually frizzy hair in a bun behind her head. This, unfortunately, proved to be a bit of a challenge, as strands of brown kept falling from the hair tie and into her face. She huffed in irritation as she continuity tried to pin it in place. That's when a knock came to her door.

Turning, she gave permission for her father to step inside. He did so, his warm eyes falling to her. He had opened his mouth to stay something, but it closed upon seeing how Bella looked. His face lit up with a gentle pride, eyes twinkling in the light of her lamp.

"Oh Bells..." He walked forward, taking her hands. "You look beautiful."

Embarrassed but happy, Bella beamed at Charlie, glad that he approved. "Thanks, Dad." She turned to the mirror. "I just wish I could get my hair right."

"You need some help?"

"A little, yeah."

Taking a step behind her, Charlie used his calloused hands to gently pull her hair back, combing it into place. She stood, silently, and watched him pull her hair into a bun. "Your mother could never do this either," he said fondly. Once things were secure, Bella turned to him, hands folded in front of her. "Jacob's here," he said. "You all ready to go?"

"Yeah... oh wait." Turning, she grabbed the silver cross from her bedside table and put it around her neck. "There we go." She turned back to Charlie then and hugged him. "Thanks Daddy. I'll call when I'm coming home."

"All right." She felt his large hand rub her back as they shared an embrace. A sigh fell from his chest against her. "I'm going to miss you when you're gone."

She paused. Turning upwards, Bella saw the sadness in his face. She recalled how terribly she had treated him that past year. Her heart wenched and she hugged him tighter. "I'm going to miss you too, Dad." They held one another for a little longer, before Bella kissed his scratchy cheek. "I'll see you later."

"Have a good time."

With that, Bella headed down the stairs and into the living room. In the back of her mind, she thought of ways to make things up to Charlie before or after she left. Maybe she could do something nice for his birthday? It was coming up in a couple of months. But what?

"Wow... Bella you look..."

Jacob's voice brought her out of her thoughts, and he caught her gaze. Jacob had cleaned up well for the dance. His dark hair had been brushed into a pony tail behind his head, donned in a suit and tie. He brightened with every step she took, a little blush on her cheeks. Flashing a toothy grin, Jacob walked forward and pinned a white corsage to her wrist. He had a matching one in his breast pocket. "You look fantastic," he said, his smile charming. She felt a sense of shyness come over her, but she nodded in thanks.

"You look good too," she answered lamely. He chuckled at that and turned to Charlie, who had taken out a camera.

"Smile you two," he said. Pressing up against Jacob, the teens turned and held still, allowing Charlie to take a picture. "Now I want her home before one o'clock."

"Yes sir," said Jacob with a nod. "I won't let her turn into a pumpkin, I promise." An arm around her shoulders, the two walked out of the home and headed out to where Jacob's truck idled. Getting inside, Jacob took another look at her as Bella shivered from the cold. Thankfully, Jacob had the heat on in the truck. "You really do look wonderful," he remarked.

She smiled lightly at him, putting on her seatbelt. "Thanks. Now let's go. I want to make sure I see everyone tonight." Agreeing, Jacob started his truck, and the two were off towards the dance. The school had rented out a ballroom at a luxury hotel near Port Angeles. Arriving, Bella spotted all the different cars and the familiar faces that exited them. She felt a heavy sense of dread as she knew how soon she would have to leave Forks. She would miss it here. Everything about it. Especially the people.

Jacob parked and got out, helping Bella out as well. It was still rather cold, and the two quickly made their way inside. She spotted Jessica easily, as she was in a short dress of hot pink. How she could stand being in such a short thing in winter, Bella could never guess. She had also got Mike to wear a matching suit. Thankfully, his was more black than pink. They quickly met up, and Jessica went on and on about how great the dance was going to be. She also bragged about a hotel room that she and Mike had reserved for the end of the night, and hinted strongly that Jacob and Bella do the same. Thankfully, Eric and Tyler were able to break the conversation before it got too awkward, which Bella was thankful for. The group met up with Angela and the lot of them spent the first twenty minutes of the dance talking and laughing with one another. That's when Bella caught sight of Rosalie and Emmett by the punch bowl. Excusing herself, she made her way towards the pair, smiling. As their conversation came into earshot, she could pick out what they were saying.

"...Just one? Come on, Rosie."

"Emmett, you know that would completely ruin our story. We're supposed to be _siblings_, Emmett. _Siblings._"

"So? The south inbreeds all the time – ow!" He rubbed his arm as Rosalie pinched him hard. That's when his gold eyes flicked up to Bella. He smiled brighter. "Hey you!" He looked her up and down and let out a little whistle. "Well would you look at that! Little Bells is all shiny! You look pretty, kid."

"Thanks. I'm glad to see the both of you here." Rosalie had dressed in a pale violet gown that went to her heels, with long sleeves that stretched to her wrists. Conservative, but fitting of her personality. Emmett, on the other hand, wore a bow tie and tuxedo, looking like he might have looked in the fifties at an after fight party.

"We're your security until you leave," said Rosalie in a matter-of-fact tone. "A party with hundreds of humans is open season for a vampire like Victoria. So we have to keep our eyes peeled until you're on that plane."

"Right..." She looked up to see Emmett scanning the crowd. Seeing someone, he turned to Rosalie and kissed her temple.

"Well, since you're no fun, I'm going to go dance with someone who isn't shy."

Bella could have sworn she saw Rosalie blush. "I'm not shy," she insisted.

"Sure your not. See you, sugar cheeks." Winking at her and waving to Bella, Emmett hopped over to a group of girls, turning on his boyish charms to win them over. Rosalie turned to the punch bowl, folding her arms and huffing.

"That man is infuriating sometimes," she complained. "I swear, he has no regard for our rules. He's worse than Edward. At least Edward isn't an eternal child."

Bella couldn't help her tiny smile as she looked at the vampire. "Come on, he can't be that terrible. He loves you, right?"

Rosalie glanced at Bella before turning to watch her lover. He was in the middle of twirling two girls at one time, one for each hand. Her hardened face softened slightly as she watched him. "Yes... I suppose so." She shifted to Bella, hands on her hips. "But that's no excuse. Ever since he started going to school, he's been reckless." Shutting her eyes, she gave a soured expression. "Those first few weeks, he practically had the entire cheerleading team following him around everywhere. Not to mention all the attention he got when we had classes together. I swear, I think he's getting human attention just to irritate me. Because he _certainly_ does a good job of it. And... what?" Rosalie opened her eyes to spot Bella snickering at her. "What's so funny?"

Bella gave a giggle or two before shaking her head. "The way you're talking about it... It sounds like you're jealous."

"Jealous?" Rosalie's voice got a bit higher, her body stiffening. "Certainly not! That's ridiculous! Absolutely ridiculous." She nodded curtly. "Attention is bad for us, after all. And he knows how important it is for us to stay hidden. Jealous... really." Rosalie continued to ramble off on how she was in fact not jealous – in any way, mind you – Bella decided to leave her to herself. That's when she spotted someone.

For a split second, Bella was paralyzed. Not by fear; it wasn't as though she saw Victoria in a prom dress. No, she instead saw Edward. Walking towards her. But it wasn't just the fact that Edward Cullen was on his way to her side. It was because of what he was wearing. On his shoulders, he had an old, gray waist coat with tails, a faded yellow vest, and matching gray slacks with shiny boots. The outfit was complete with a black ascot, gloves, and top hat. He looked like something that stepped right out of the History Channel. And it wasn't just Bella who noticed. As he walked, all the others on the dance floor nearly froze, turning to stare at the oddly dressed boy. But Edward didn't notice them. He kept his gold eyes to the ground, his hands firmly at his side, as he approached Bella. Clearly, he wasn't so dense that he didn't know his clothes were completely out of date. From the way things looked, however, it seemed as though this was all he had. Standing in front of Bella, he kept his eyes on the ground, his cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Hi," he said lowly. Bella heard whispers fly through the dance floor, followed by a few cruel laughs, and a faint taunting or two. "Um... this was my father's... I... don't really have anything else that's formal..." He shifted from foot to foot, refusing to look at her.

Bella didn't know what to say. On the one hand, this was all rather humiliating, if not for her, than for Edward. On the other hand... had he dressed this way for her? Despite the utterly strange way he looked, Bella couldn't deny that she was touched. This caused her to warm, and a smile came to her face.

"Don't you think the top hat's a bit much?"

Edward finally looked up to her, seeing her gentle smile. He returned the gesture and removed the head piece, staring at it. "Yeah, I guess." He fiddled with it in his gloved hands, now staring at the hat instead. "Father told me about this suit when I was a boy," he admitted. "He said... that he proposed to my mother in this suit." His eyes became warmer and he touched the shoulder of it. "It... actually was during a dance that he did it. He told me that he took lessons for weeks just to make a good impression on her."

With each new sentence, Bella felt the embarrassment of the situation ebb away, and her smile grew. She soon found herself apathetic to the whispers of those looking. Let them look! What did Bella care? Her hand raised and she touched Edward's gloved one. "He must have really loved her."

Edward caught her eyes, still smiling. "Yeah. He did." That's when they heard the DJ announce that the next song was for couples only. Bella felt her heart jump into her throat. It seemed they were both thinking the same thing. Setting the hat on the refreshments table, he held out his hand to her. "May I have this dance?"

Bella wasn't sure what to do. She looked from his earnest face to her group of friends. They were all staring at the pair with disbelief in their eyes. That's when she spotted Jacob, and her chest contracted. He was frowning sadly at the pair. Turning away, he walked out of the dance hall. Bella hung her eyes, but took Edward's hand anyway.

"All right."

They walked out to the dance floor, others clearing the way and watching curiously. She could imagine the rumors the next day. But what did she care? She was leaving soon anyway. Turning to Edward, she attempted to put her hands around his neck, but he stopped her. Instead, he took one hand, and put her other on his shoulder. With his free hand, he held her hip. "Start with your right foot," he instructed gently. Blushing like mad, Bella nodded and stared down at her feet. Thankfully, she didn't step on his boots, despite being as wobbly as she was in heels. After a while, she grew the confidence to turn up to him. She was met with his gentle, smiling face. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a few others coming onto the floor, no longer bothered by Edward's odd appearance. Bella found herself smiling as well, the two swaying gently to the music.

Finally, the song was over. Edward slowed them both to a halt, and stood them there, their bodies still. Removing his arms, he took Bella's hand and laid a kiss on the back of it, his eyes closed. He let his lips linger for quite some time and then pulled away. A moment or two passed before Edward took a step backward.

"Maybe you should go back to your date."

Reality seemed to hit her and she turned to look around. But Jacob was gone. Guilt overwhelmed her and she turned to say something, but Edward was gone. So, with a heavy heart, she rushed from the dance floor and began her search for Jacob.

See you guys next week. Leave me a review!

~T.


	18. Love Hurts

Ok see... I was going to write this yesterday as usual (since I changed it to Saturdays again) but then... um.. (cough)... I ended up watching the "100 Scariest Moments in Movie History" count down... Heh...

**Eighteen: Love Hurts**

**T**he sound of her heels echoed against the walls around her as Bella made her way out of the dance room. She felt terrible and wonderful all at the same time. For one thing, Edward had just shown her how romantic he could be, solidifying the thought that she may still be in love with him. On the other hand, the look of heartbreak on Jacob's face riddled her with guilt. What could she say? What should she say and why? How could she explain herself in a way that wouldn't hurt him? She supposed it was too late for that, but she could sure as hell try.

"Jacob?" She looked back and forth along the hallway. When she got no answer, she saw the stairway that went up to the cafe and restaurant above the ballroom. She could make out the contours of a male form by the window. Careful not to trip on the stairs (heels were not easy to move about in), she headed up towards him, her chest constricting with each step. Soon, she was right beside the boy, her hands folded in front of her. He didn't look at her. Instead, he leaned on the railing, staring out the window. Bella took a breath and walked closer to him.

"Jacob..."

"What?" He turned to look at her, the moon highlighting his silver eyes. "Come to tell me you're sorry? Well there's really no need. You can go and dance with your vampire boy toy, that's fine with me." He turned back to the window, making Bella feel a bit desperate.

She took his arm gently. "Jake, please... I never meant to... I mean... I mean he just showed up. It was only a dance."

A rueful smile came to his features. "Only a dance... Sure, sure..." He turned to her, a sort of sad anger on his face. "I'm sure it was only a dance. But look at me and tell me that you didn't want him to kiss you when it was over." She felt her breath catch in her throat. Though she hadn't thought about that, her mind selfishly imagined what that might have been like. His smile turned into a slight sneer. "See? You're still thinking about him, even while you're talking to me."

Shame overran her and she once more gripped his arm. "Jacob... I never wanted to hurt you. You've been my friend for ages and I love you."

"But you wouldn't want to fuck me, would you?"

Now, Bella wasn't exactly your typical "straight laced" girl, but to hear him put it so bluntly took her aback. "Jacob!" she said, an embarrassed flush came to her face.

"It's true, isn't it?" he continued without remorse. "You love me... I really don't doubt that. But I've always been a brother to you, haven't I?" Bella gaped like a fish, unable to answer. "_Haven't_ I?"

She couldn't deny this statement. Her head tilted downward and she stared at her shoes, her eyes tearing up. There was a moment of silence between the two. Slowly, she felt herself being pushed up against the railing, his hands on either side of her. She turned to see his face dangerously close to hers.

"I don't want to force you into anything," he began softly, lowly. "But why can't you even give me a _chance?_ What is it that he can do for you that I can't? I'm just as strong as him. I can love you just as much... I've _always_ been there for you, even during the time where he ran out on you!"

Bella felt indignation well up within her. "He didn't run out on me," she said suddenly. "His father took him away. He didn't have any control about that."

"Well you think I'd give a shit if that same thing tried to happen to me?" Jacob insisted. "Hell, half of my family doesn't even want me at this school, but I'm here anyway. Because I care about you. For years, I've cared about you." He leaned in close, his body hot against her own. Though he was younger, his height was apparent by how he leaned down with their lips touching. "I'll do anything, Bella... You've been... you've been my dream girl for years. Please..." He laid one of his large hands on her cheeks, trying to draw her into a kiss. Bella's heart thumped heavily within her chest. He let their noses touch , their breathing intermingling with each other's. Bella could almost feel the sort of primal, animal like want hiding behind those lips. He leaned forward, ready to entrap her into a kiss.

She turned away.

The heat of the moment drained instantly as Jacob's eyes opened. Bella refused to look at him, in fear that she would burst into tears if she did. She clutched her sweater to her arms, trembling slightly as she stood there. "I'm sorry," She began slowly. "I just... I love you to death, Jacob... But I..."

"You'd rather have Edward." Bella's head snapped to his direction. His face had warped into an angry glower as his hands tightened on the rail beside her. So much so that it nearly left a dent. He snarled and yanked away, turning and breathing heavily. "Well fine. If that's the way you feel, go ahead. Go back to your vampire."

Bella's legs wobbled as she stood there, very close to tears. She moved forward and touched his back timidly. "Jacob..." He yanked away from her grasp, causing her only to take his shoulder instead. "Jacob please..." He continued to worm his way out of her hands. Finally, after trying to hold him time and time again, Jacob whirled around and grabbed her arm. He bent his face close to hers, his eyes flashing bright silver. Jacob bared his sharp teeth, his features scrunched up dangerously. Shock ran through her as she stood there, terrified of her best friend. However, he seemed to catch himself. A moment after the terrible shock, he slowly let his grip go, his eyes fading and his face returning to normal. He drew away from her, turning his back to the girl.

"Just go," he said.

Bella stood there for a moment or so more. Half of her wanted to hug him, the other half wanted to run. Swallowing, she took a step forward. "I'm sorry." With that, she turned and willed her weak body down the stairs and towards the bathroom. She floated as if in a trance into one of the stalls. Getting in one, she sat herself down and stared at the door in front of her. It wasn't long until she started crying.

She felt horrible. Worse than horrible. Would Jacob ever forgive her after this? Would he ever return to being her friend? She knew she couldn't be with Edward, not forever. So why did she have to loose Jacob too? She sat there for some time, her knees together and quiet simpers escaping her. She was thankful that she wore no mascara that night, as she probably would have had two running waterfalls of black by now. Bella didn't even notice when the door opened and footsteps entered. She did, however, notice when her name was called.

"Bella?" It was Rosalie's voice. Taking some toilet paper, Bella wiped her face and then stepped out to greet her, her nose red and now runny from how much she had been crying. Rosalie blinked at her before frowning slightly. "What's the matter? Did you hurt yourself? You look sick..."

"I'm fine, Rosalie..." She blew her nose and tossed the paper in the garbage can. "I'm just a little upset is all."

"I see... Well you should stay where I can keep my eye on you at least." Taking her arm, she lead Bella back out and towards the dance floor. "At least be in a place where there's a large amount of people. That way we can – "

She froze, her eyes going wide. Bella stopped with her, staring at her curiously. However, it only took a second to realize just what she was sensing. Her eyes snapped over to where Emmett and Jacob were talking lowly. "Emmett." The vampire looked up, as well as the shifter. Glancing at one another, they made their way towards the two girls. Bella stared at Emmett instead of Jacob. "She's here. We have to go." They nodded, and the four of them began to hurry to the parking lot. Since the vampires didn't drive, they'd all take Jacob's truck back. Bella paused.

"Wait, what about Edward?"

"He's a big boy," said Jacob curtly. "He can handle himself."

"Besides, I think Eddie left anyway," Emmett added. Hopping into the truck, Jacob quickly sped out of the dance, taking Bella home first and foremost. As they drove, Bella clutched herself and stared out the window.

"I hope dad's all right..." she muttered, gripping her hands tightly together. She felt the large hand of Emmett pat her shoulder.

"He will be. I promise we'll keep a good watch over him."

With that, she turned her eyes back to the window, dreading what the future might hold.

Short but... yeah.

~T.


	19. Trust

Hey everyone. Well, life is moving on. I'm starting school this monday, which means... well... I think I've been doing this for about three years. I started in my Senior year in high school, and then though my first year of collage... And now it's my second year. It's just odd to think about XD

Anywho. Little short on reviews last time, but I'm sure you guys will find this chapter a little more exciting.

**Nineteen: Trust**

**T**he entire ride back to Bella's home was nerve wracking, to say the very least. Bella kept checking the mirrors, gazing out to the dark sky, as if to see some sort of horrible creature pop out and grab her through the window. Though Jacob was clearly still mad at her, he would often rub her shoulder or grip her hand. She was so thankful that he was willing to put aside his feelings to comfort her; there were many instances where a sudden bump or backfire made her jump five feet in the air, in which case she was glad to have someone to cling to. Upon arriving, Bella got out, only to find to her horror that the police cruiser was not in the drive way. The color fell from her face and she turned around.

"Dad isn't home..." she said, her legs wobbly. "You have to go and make sure he's all right!"

"I'll go," said Rosalie. "Emmett and Jacob will stay with you."

"I'll be fine!" she said frantically. "A vampire can't come in without me giving permission right? S-so please! Go and find him! If Victoria's praying on him, one of you won't be enough!"

Rosalie gave an unsure gesture. "I'd prefer if someone stayed with you."

"Please, just go!" Bella begged. The last thing she wanted to see was her father in the hospital for a second time. Let alone finding him dead. So, with reluctance, they nodded in agreement and drove off, leaving Bella alone. Quickly, she made her way into the house.

She locked the doors, the windows, changed into something easier to run in, and took out what she could to protect herself. She didn't exactly have holy water on hand, but her cross was kept around her neck, and she had found the bell that Carlisle had given her all that time ago. It had gathered dust by this point, but Bella was certain that she might have use of it now. Going up to her room, she rustled around her things until she found what she was looking for. After the run in with the rogue vampires the first time, she had gone out of her way to create a sort of sharpened stake of sorts from the woods beyond her home. Bella curled up in bed, her arms around her knees and her hand clutching the stake tightly. For what seemed to be hours, all that was heard within her room was the ticking of her wall clock, and the moaning of the old house. Her heart thudded painfully against her chest as she stared, relentlessly, at the window. Though she was now in a warm sweater and sweatpants, her shoes very close lest she had to make a run for it, she was shivering. Bella's mind began to come up with terrible images. Such as Victoria bursting through the closet door, or jumping out from beneath her bed. But she knew no such thing could happen. So she remained still, watching as gentle snowflakes drifted past her window.

That's when she saw the shadow.

She jumped, five feet in the air, almost, as that shadow came nearer to her window sill. Curling up closer to her headboard, Bella clutched the stake to her heart, staring firmly at the glass. A hand laid upon it, and soon a face came into view. She felt a breath release itself from her lungs as she realized – it was just Edward.

"Bella?" came his muffled voice. He pulled back a bit so that his torso was visible. His usual black sweatshirt. "Are you ok? I heard that Victoria came back. I came to check on you."

Bella stood and, with relief, went to the window. But then, she noticed something. Something that made her freeze in her tracks as she stared at Edward's body. He seemed confused. "What?" he asked, blinking. Slowly, Bella let her eyes trail from his chest up to his own. He frowned slightly. "What is it?Something wrong?" Bella began to back away.

"Edward... where's your father's suit?"

There was a silence between the two of them as reality sank into the situation. Edward glanced at his clothes and then looked up. His face was slowly starting to twist into anger. "I changed. Now let me in..." But Bella wasn't buying it. She grabbed her stake and held it threateningly, refusing to give him access to her. "Let me in, Bella."

"No."

"I said... let me in."

"No."

Edward's features contorted into something demonic, his fangs baring dangerously. "Let me in!" Victoria's voice shrieked from his throat. But Bella remained still. He – or rather, she – snared and growled, fingernails grating against the glass. Still, the girl remained strong. That's when Victoria opened her mouth and made a terrifying, blood chilling screech. Without warning, she burst through the glass and into Bella's room, changing back into her original form. The vampire leapt onto Bella, knocking away her weapon of choice. As she dragged the girl to the ground, blood leaked at an alarming rate from her body and onto Bella's own, her eyes like two red orbs stuck in her head. The sheer animalistic vision of this scene was terrifying. Her mouth went wide, her fangs jutting out from either row of gums, like some wild and diseased beast gone insane.

Some how, Bella was able to get herself out of Victoria's grasp – probably because she was weak by this point, and tried to grab the stake. However, Victoria grabbed it before she could, and flung it hard into the ceiling, its point sticking well into the ceiling above her. She then stood, blood flowing from every pore of her body, her eyes glowing with madness. Terrified, Bella rushed to her bedside table and grabbed the bell, ringing it hard. Victoria shrieked from the noise before rushing at Bella, even though she somewhat limped in her current condition. Slamming Bella up to the wall, Victoria's eyes nearly bulged out from her head, and her tongue flopped out like some disgusting, slimy worm, her entire body now coated with a thick red.

"BELLA!" Edward's true voice rang out outside her window. Bella's eyes darted up.

"YOU CAN COME IN!" she cried. Before she knew it, Edward burst through her window and rushed towards Victoria. He grabbed her and pulled her off, the two struggling violently in the middle of the room. They scratched and screamed like banshies, blood spraying everywhere. Bella could only plaster herself to the wall, frozen as she watched the two struggle. Some how, Victoria got away and rushed out of the room, vanishing into the night.

Bella's legs felt weak. She trembled against the wall, as Edward stared at the broken window. Before she knew it, Bella felt herself fall to the floor, her hands resting on the carpet. She was covered in Victoria's blood, and could still feel those terrible hands on her body. She wasn't able to stop herself when she started to cry. Bella didn't even notice when Edward knelt beside her, bringing her into a tight hug.

"I'm sorry I didn't get here faster," he said, panting heavily. She clung to him, tears still falling from her eyes. After a moment, her senses began to return to her, and she noticed the condition of his clothes.

"...Your father's suit..." Indeed, during the fray, Edward's suit had become thrashed and bloodied, a few shards of fabric still hanging by mere threads. He blinked and looked down, as if noticing it for the first time. He shook his head.

"It's just a thing." His hand slid up to her cheek and wiped away a bit of the blood that had been sprayed onto her. The entire room was now sprinkled with dots of red. She'd have to clean the entire place. "Are you all right?"

"Yes..." She calmed down in his arms, slowly regaining herself. "B-but... what about you? There's... blood everywhere. Aren't you – ?"

He smiled slightly. "Vampire blood doesn't have a smell to us," he explained. "I'll be fine." Stroking her hair, he helped her to her feet, his arms around her body. "Why don't you go wash?"

"Ok..." She paused. "...Edward?" Gripping his arm, she looked up to him. "Will you... stay with me? For the rest of the night?"

He didn't hesitate before nodding. "Of course, Bella. Now go clean yourself up."

With shaky legs, she went into the bathroom and did just that. She took a little more time than she truly needed. In all honesty, she wanted to get her body to stop trembling before returning to her room. By that time, Edward had already put a piece of cardboard into her window, swept up the glass, and given her a fresh top sheet to sleep in. Embarrassed, Bella realized that she must have been in the bathroom longer than she expected. Currently, Edward was using the blood spattered sheet to cover up all the window. If he was going to stay the night, it'd be better to prepare for morning, after all. He looked over to see her return and passed her a gentle smile.

"You feeling any better?"

"A little," she admitted. "Thanks for cleaning up..."

He nodded and went to her, the two heading to bed together. Once beneath her covers, Bella shivered and brought them close to her neck. The break in her window caused her room to be much colder. Edward clearly wanted to bring her into a hug, but it was obvious that such an action might only make her worse. He laid beside her, touching her cheek with the back of his fingers. His eyes were sympathetic – caring. Loving, almost. Bella couldn't stop staring at them. He couldn't seem to either. After a while of just laying beside one another, staring, Bella leaned up and gave Edward a kiss. Gently, a hand laid on her shoulder as the kiss became more and more involved. Some how, it wound up that Edward had propped himself over her, the girl laying along her back. He touched her neck.

"What about Jacob?" he asked softly.

Bella sighed, her fingertips touching his lips. "It's always been you, Edward," she admitted, almost in shame. Her eyes tilted up to him. "Even though it shouldn't be." A small, rueful smile came to his face and they kissed again, his fingers lacing through her hair. They paused again, and Bella looked down. "Edward... I have to know. And answer me honestly." She turned back to him, a serious look in her eye. "Am I a replacement for Annabell?"

Instead of instantly going into defense mechanisms as he usually did, he stared straight at Bella, not shying away and not frowning. Instead, all he did was shake his head. "No," he said. "You never have been."

She bit the inside of her lip. As much as she wanted to believe him, there was still that night that rang so incredibly true within her mind. That night where Edward had said her name instead of Bella's. She took a breath and began to speak. "When we were in La Push," she began slowly, "you were asleep. And... and I asked you if you loved me. You said yes. Then when I asked you who you were talking to... you said Anna." Bella turned her eyes back up to him to see his reaction. Clearly, he was surprised.

"And that makes you think you're a replacement?" he asked. She nodded and Edward let out a sigh. Laying along side her, he wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Despite his cold body, it was comforting. "Bella, listen to me. I was probably just having some silly dream or memory about the past. Dreams don't really mean anything." He looked down to her. "Honestly. You're not a replacement for Anna and you never will be." His finger went up and gently pushed a lock of hair from her face. "You're a lot stronger than she is, for one. A lot smarter, too." He furrowed his brow and looked passed her to the window. "I found out later that she'd lied to me about dying. All she wanted to do was be a vampire, like me. She didn't take into account the consequences of her actions. Didn't realize what it meant to give up her life like that." He shifted his gaze back towards Bella, touching her chin. "But you... You're so full of life, so embracing of it. You might love me, but you still live. You've always been so strong, Bella." He kissed her again, his eyes closing.

As they kissed lovingly, Bella felt her suspicions melt away into nothingness. She also felt stupid for having doubted him in the first place. Of course. Of course she could never be a replacement for Annabell. They were so vastly different. And Edward no longer loved Annabell. Oh there was feelings of nostalgia and memory, Bella had no doubt about that. But as for love – true, unrequited, romantic love – it was no longer there for her. This was made clear to Bella each time their lips touched, and every moment he held her. Finally, the two broke apart, their noses just an inch away from one another.

"I love you," he said softly. She felt her body overwhelm with affection and bliss at those words. Clutching him tightly, she leaned up and gave him another kiss.

"I love you too."

As though the world had stopped turning, and the danger was gone from her life, Bella and Edward ignored the rest of reality and indulged themselves for the first time in a long time.

There we are. The relationship matter is resolved. OR IS IT! Remember, Bella still has to leave.

Anywho... review!

~T.


	20. Facing Reality

Ok... I was _going_ to write this on Saturday as usual, but with everything going on in school, I didn't have time. Not to mention that I went to Vegas the week before. Which was awesome, by the way. Anywho, here's your long awaited chapter. Thanks for being so patient :3

**Twenty: Facing Reality**

**F**or the first time in a very long time, Bella did not dream. One can never really know the true essence of peace without going through such a night. The lack of a dream, whether it be good or bad, had the ability to allow the sleeper to awake the next morning in a haze of blissful ignorance to the world around them. It was the sort of blind fog that left one with a lingering feeling of serenity. For the mind, ever the busy organ that it is, rarely receives a pardon from the ever overwhelming responsibility of conducting abstract thoughts and making certain decisions. It was in this daze of subtle brilliance that Bella slowly felt her body turn on. She allowed her body to rejuvenate first and foremost, allowing her eyes to flutter open when she felt it the proper moment. The first thing she noticed was that it was still very dark. However, it was the kind of darkness that still conceived the fact that it was daytime. So, perhaps a better term for this was that it was shadowed. The sheet, and a few other blankets and cloths, Bella noticed, was still pinned up against the broken window, keeping the sun from getting in. The second thing she realized was that she was bundled quite securely in blankets of her own. Like a caterpillar ready to cocoon itself. She felt pleasantly warm, and even snuggled into the rich plushness of the comforter. The third and final thing she noticed, was the feeling of a heavy arm, laying along her body.

Edward had never fallen asleep beside her before. Because of Charlie, he rarely ever stayed the night. In fact, the one evening he did stay behind, they weren't even romantically involved at the time. And he had slept in the bathroom. But here he was. Breathing softly through his nose, his face as undisturbed as an old oil painting. A withered and faded oil painting, but an oil painting nonetheless. He was no longer dressed, as was she, but Bella assumed that the cold did not bother him. Hence why he was laying stark naked along his stomach, while she was curled up in an entrapment of sheets. He must have bundled her when she was sleeping. Probably to keep her from getting a cold. She smiled at the thought. Rolling onto her side, her hand wiggled out from beneath her confides and touched his cold cheek. His brows furrowed slightly as his eyes creaked open. Upon seeing her, his lips turned into a smile.

"Hi," he said, his voice scratchy.

"Hi."

He closed his eyes and took a breath, groaning a bit as he stretched his body. As she looked upon him, remembering all of their innocent (and not so innocent) times before, a sudden thrill went through her own. Eyes going wide, Bella sat up quickly, pulling the covers to her breast. "Edward... Did Charlie ever come home last night?"

"Relax," he said, gently coaxing her to lay back down. "Carlisle knew it'd be best if he stayed away from the house, so he caught him for drinks after his shift. He's a pretty persuasive guy." He yawned, his fangs gleaming beneath his lips. "Got him drunk enough to take him home. Got the cruiser there too. When he wakes up, he'll be given some asprin and sent on his way."

Worry calmly left Bella's body as she cuddled up close to him. "And Victoria?"

Eyes still closed, Edward's brow knitted. "I don't know," he said. "I didn't go looking for her. I didn't want to leave you alone..." Opening his eyes yet again, he saw that she was shivering a bit. "Cold?"

"A little." Indeed, the frosty winds were slipping through the barricade of sheets and now licked the skin around her shoulders and neck.

Nodding, Edward got up and went to the bathroom. "I'll run you a bath," he said. "A nice hot one. Sound good?"

"Sure..." Sitting up, she pulled her knees to her chest and looked around the room. It had been tidied up a bit more since the previous evening. Edward must have done so – again – while she slept. The sound of rushing water was heard inside the bathroom. When he returned, Bella had begun to get out of bed, when Edward quite literally swept her off of her feet and began to carry her in. Her entire face grew red. "H-hey! I can do that on my own!"

"And what? Trip over the ends of your blankets, or take them off and catch the flu? Relax, you don't weigh anything." After setting her on the edge of the bathtub, he shut the door and allowed her into the hot, steamy bath. "I'll fix the window a little more while you're in here. Is there some plywood around here?"

"In the basement."

"Right... I'll have to nail it over the blankets..."

"That's fine. We can fix it later."

The two looked at one another. Kneeling down, Edward laid a cold kiss on her lips. It was the kind of cold that one felt when given a particularly strong peppermint stick of gum. And it was exactly the kind of kiss she remembered from a year prior. After their little transaction, Edward stood and left the bathroom, closing the door to keep the heat inside. Bella let herself relax. For now, all was calm. She would take advantage of this as best as she could. After soaking for what seemed like hours, she finally got herself out and began to brush her hair and dry her body. All the while, looking at herself in the one cleared section of mirror that was otherwise a mess with steam. She stared hard at herself, her mind recanting the past events, and re-evaluating her situation.

What was to happen now? Would she continue with her plan to leave Forks? Maybe for good? How could she? Bella's heart pounded as her hands wrung the towel she stood in. She would be given a chance at a normal life again. One that wasn't wrought with dangerous monsters wanting to kill her. But was that what she really wanted? It was what was safe, what was right. She might be miserable there. Or at least start out that way. But in the end, it will be for the best. Best for her, her family, and Edward's. If Bella hadn't been here in the first place, they wouldn't be in such a mess now, would they? Then again, she guessed it made no difference. Nevertheless, she knew what she had to do. Whether she wanted to or not.

She would still have to leave Forks by the end of the month.

After making sure she was dry, Bella headed into her room. Plywood had been installed against her window, a few corners of blankets and sheets sticking out. Funny how she didn't hear the hammer. She dressed warmly and was considering what to have for breakfast, when she heard arguing downstairs. She recognized Edward's voice immediately. But who was the second? Silently, she slipped from her room and went to the top of the stairs. Peering over, she spotted Edward, standing well within the shadows, and the shadow of someone at the door frame.

"...Do you honestly think that this is in any way a smart decision?" came Jacob's voice. "She's leaving in a week, Cullen. How is she going to feel about it now?"

"She isn't a child. She can handle it. I have faith."

Jacob scoffed. "Oh sure. That's easy for you to say. Once she moves away, it's going to be right on to the next best thing for you. I know the way you are, Cullen. You goddamn stealing – "

"Who said anything about stealing?" came Edward's smooth reply.

Jacob nearly growled. "She could have been with _me!_ I could have given her a happy life! Fuck, at least I'm _alive, _you blood sucking zombie!"

Edward's tone never raised. He never yelled. He spoke quietly, without even a hint of malice. "I'm talking to you, aren't I? I have blood in my veins, don't I? For all intents and purposes, I am alive."

"Well whatever!" Jacob exasperated. "The point is, she could have been with me, and you ruined that! You _stole_ her from me!"

"He didn't steal anything, Jacob."

Bella had since come down from the stairs, and now stood in the middle of the case, frowning in Jacob's direction. The boy stood in silence, his eyes lowered, as she came down to the living room. Edward took a step further back to allow her room to walk forward. Jacob seemed to upset to look at her. Bella kept her eyes on his face. "He didn't coerce me into this. I picked it. This was my decision, got it?"

"I just... I just don't get it...!" Jacob ran his fingers through his hair, looking up to Bella with a desperate gaze. "Why _him_? Of all people, Bella... why?"

"What do you want me to say, Jake? That I'm a necrophiliac?" She sighed and took his hands. "Jacob, listen to me. There is no why. I just love him."

"And not me," said Jacob bitterly. "No, wait, you love me too, just not in that way."

"I can't help the way I feel. I'm sorry, Jacob..."

"Yeah right... I'm sorry I ruined your mood. I'll go now." He turned to leave the house, when Bella reached out to take his arm to stop him. That's when he did something that was actually rather frightening. The minute her fingers touched Bella's arm, Jacob spun around, his eyes aglow with silver, and bared his large canines in a feral snarl. Bella quickly backed away, landing into the arms of Edward from behind. He let out a particularly angry hiss, his face contorting demonically. They stared at each other for quite some time, Bella fearing some sort of fight to break out between them. However, the tension slowly decreased, and Jacob pulled back. Bella could feel Edward's grip loosen as a silent truce was called. For now.

Giving one last sneer at the couple, Jacob turned away and marched off towards his truck, hopping in and driving away into the blinding white snow. The two stood in front of the door before Bella shut it, locking it as well. Neither said a word to one another, both quite possibly thinking the same thing.

"He's right, you know." Bella looked up to Edward as the vampire spoke, his face firm. "He's a much better choice for you..."

They shared another stare between the two of them before Bella approached Edward, taking his hand. "It doesn't matter anyway," she said with a heavy heart. "I'm leaving soon. I'd... rather spend what time I have left with the man I love than worrying about what's best for me. I'll have to do that pretty soon anyway."

A tiny smile came to Edward's lips. It was rueful, but had some glimmer of pride as he looked upon her. Leaning forward, he kissed the cusp of her crown before running his hand up and down her back. "Hungry?" he asked.

"Yeah," said Bella. "Starved."

So there you have it. Bella's still planning on leaving. But you know me. I have quite a few tricks up my sleeve.

Leave those reviews!

~T.

PS – I would have uploaded this sooner, but wouldn't you know it? The minute I finish a chapter, the site stops working. Stupid interwebs.


	21. Goodbye, Bella

All right then. Here we are. The day of Bella's departure. WILL SHE GO THROUGH WITH IT!

**Twenty One: Goodbye, Bella**

**B**ella swore that she wouldn't cry this day. She vowed to herself that, as she and her friends and her father all drove to the airport, she would hold it together. That she would laugh and hug and say again and again that she would keep in touch. But as the car rolled closer and closer towards the Seattle airport, Bella felt her heart grow heavier and heavier. Until finally, tears were indeed clouding her eyes. She had already said goodbye to Edward the night before. She even passed a note along to be given to Carlisle expressing her gratitude for everything he'd done for her in the past. She managed a rigid, awkward farewell with Jacob, though she would have liked it to have gone smoother. Nevertheless, these were the scenes leading up to that moment, in which Charlie's entire cruiser, full of teenagers, drove to the air port. With Jessica in Mike's lap, and she and Angela sharing the front seat, they managed to squeeze their entire way up to Seattle's airport. And though she swore and vowed and promised and begged herself not to cry today, when they got into the airport, and she got her ticket from the counter, she found it very, very difficult to keep such a promise. After checking her bag, she was thrown into a moshpit of tight hugs and sincere farewells. Jessica was already bawling at the prospect of Bella leaving, and Bella had to admit that she was touched. Once all of her friends had told her the best of goodbyes, it was time to address her father. The others made themselves scarce near the Cinnabon while she did so. Another thing she was thankful for. She and Charlie faced one another, Bella feeling her tears start to well beneath her eyelids. If only she didn't have to go. Charlie smiled kindly beneath his mustache, putting his hands into his pockets.

"You can always cancel your ticket," he said sweetly. "Change your mind, you know."

Her throat tightened. She wanted to. Oh how she wanted to. But she couldn't. "I know, Dad..."

There was a little awkward silence between the two. Then, unable to take it any longer, Bella walked forward and gripped Charlie tightly around the torso. He felt warm in her embrace as he wrapped his arms around her without hesitation. Bella buried her face into his shirt, a few tears slipping from her eyes. She couldn't help herself. She only hoped that the Cullens would watch over him. If she came back to find out that Charlie was hurt or dead, she would never forgive herself. Pulling away, Charlie wiped her cheeks dry, giving her a bushy kiss on the forehead. "There now..." He rubbed her arms. "Want me to walk you to the gate?" She nodded wordlessly, gripping her backpack tightly to her shoulder. She and her father walked towards gate C3, Bella pressing into him as close as she possibly could. If anything, she knew that this wasn't fair to Charlie. She knew this, yet there was nothing she could do to correct it. Someday. She swore that someday she would come back and make it up to him.

Upon arriving at the gate, Bella turned back to her father, gripping his large hand in her own. "Well," he said, eyes on the plane outside. "Looks like this is it." He turned to her, his own eyes starting to tear. Leaning inward, they gave each other another hug. A longer one this time. Only to pull away when the sound of the boarding call sounded. Bella felt an appending sense of dread as she pulled back. "That's your cue, sugar." Bella kissed his scruffy cheek and smiled weakly.

"I love you, Daddy."

"I love you, too. No go board."

Nodding, Bella kept her ticket in her trembling hand as she handed it to the attendant near the door. The woman took it and then allowed her inside. After one last look to her father, Bella glumly made her way down the terminal and into the plane. So many others were filling in as well. Hopefully she sat next to someone who wouldn't want to talk. She didn't know if she could handle a conversation today. Her head leaned against the glass (or was it some sort of plastic?) window, staring at the gray clouds above. Would it rain? She smiled ruefully. So the world itself was sad that she was leaving, was it? But what could she do? Nothing. She would just have to wait it out until she could return.

And wait she did. She waited. And waited. And waited still. Slowly, the sun outside began to sink, and a light drizzle came to the sky. Bella frowned. They still hadn't taken off, and Bella had gotten on the plane at four. It was now seven thirty. Fidgety, Bella pulled open her phone to double check the time. She had been sitting on the runway for about three and a half hours now. The captain's message dinged overhead.

"_Ladies and gentlemen, if I could have your attention please? There seems to be some sort of technical difficulties. It may still be a while until we take off. Feel free to leave the plane, but return at ten o'clock tonight. Thank you._"

A plane-wide grumble met the announcement, and soon after, everyone decided to get up and stretch their legs. Bella being one of them. She was pretty hungry about this time. So, pulling out her wallet, she left the gate and headed down to one of the little cafes not too far from it. There, she bought a sandwich and a bit of hot chocolate. For a while, all was calm. She had finished her meal only to find that she still had two hours left. So, she got up and started to meander about. She didn't go far, just down the hall and up again. With her hands behind her back, Bella let her feet take her all along the corridor with no destination in mind.

That's when something caught her eye.

She paused and quickly turned to see what it was. It was something quick. Something that whizzed by her peripheral vision. But when she turned to see what it was, she found nothing but crowd. She looked everywhere. Nothing. She was about to write it off as a shadow, when she saw it again, this time on the other side. She turned even quicker this time, but again, she came across nothing. This was starting to worry her. Was she going mad? Then, she saw it again. And again. A fifth time. A fourth time. What in the world was it! Her heart pounded within her head as her eyes darted left and right, her body pivoting all around to try and catch whatever it was that was dancing within her vision. Suddenly, two hands came out of nowhere and grabbed her arms.

A scream died in her throat as she realized it was just an old lady, her eyes filled with concern. "Are you all right, dear?" she asked gently. "You look lost."

"O-oh..." Bella's heart slowly came back to normal speed. "N-no, I'm ok. Just a little tired." She went to put her hand to her forehead, when she realized that the old woman hadn't let go of her arms. Furthermore, Bella noticed that her hands were extremely cold. Blinking, she turned up towards the woman to see a malevolent smile curl along her lips. Her eyes faded into a bright, gold color, her lips parting to reveal to sharp, dangerous fangs. A thrill of fear shot up through Bella's body and she yanked herself away. "No!" she cried. She ran as fast as she could without looking back, zig-zagging her way in and out of the people crowding the airport. She tried to bring out her phone to dial the sheriff's office, try to get in contact with Charlie or Carlisle... But her fingers kept slipping on the buttons, and she needed to watch where she was going. In fact, it was this combination of things that caused Bella to trip, her phone sliding across the floor and under the crack of a bar not too far away. Bella could have cried.

But she picked herself up and ran some more. She could feel Victoria's hot breath on her neck as she did her best to get away. "Help!" she screamed through the airport. "Someone help me! Help!" She spotted security immediately and rushed over to them. They were clearly alert at her coming. "Help, help!" she sobbed. One of the officers, took hold of her shoulders in a kind fashion.

"What is it?" he asked, his eyes serious. "Is something wrong? Did you see something?"

"Someone's chasing me!" Bella practically screamed. "She wants to kill me!"

"Ok, ok..." He signaled for the others to go, bringing up a radio to his mouth. "Security, we have a young lady here who's being threatened." He turned to Bella. "What does she look like?"

However, Bella couldn't answer. Because before she could open her mouth. Something sharp and metallic slid straight through his chest. Like a sword of some kind. He gasped once, blood shooting from his body, as Bella watched in horror, and the crowd around her scattered in fear. Screams echoed through the terminal, just above the rushing of feet to get away. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as the metal blade was yanked back. There, Victoria stood (out of costume), as she slowly let the blade at the end of her arm morph back into her hand. Bella was sobbing by now. She knew running would do no good. Stepping backwards, she begged her softly. "Please..." she said, trembling like a captured mouse. "D-don't kill me... please don't kill me..." Victoria let her arm return to its blade form, and she slashed across her neck, as if to slit her throat. Instead, all she did was cut through the silver chain holding her mother's cross. It fell to the floor with a little _ding_, Victoria's hand sizzling a bit as she pulled it back to normal. Now, her last line of defense against this thing was gone.

"FREEZE!" Victoria paused and looked over to see a line of cops, their guns at the ready. Victoria merely laughed. In a flash, she was behind Bella, yanking her hair back with one hand and gripping her wrists together with the other. The security team ordered her to let Bella go. But Victoria didn't come close to obliging. Instead, she leaned inward, and in a sadistic manner, licked the nape of Bella's neck. Bella herself was panting and whimpering, unable to get away. With a ringing laugh from the vampire behind her, Bella was thrown over Victoria's shoulder with ease, and before she knew it, she was being taken away from the terminal at an insane speed.

Victoria hopped her way through Seattle, mainly along the tops of buildings, before Bella specifically smelled salt water, and heard the dinging of ship bells. Victoria lurched her way downward, and Bella found herself beneath a stack of crates along a wooden dock. Victoria kept a tight grip on her neck as she peered out from behind the crates. She grinned. "Still here," she muttered. Bella looked over to see a ship being loaded and getting ready to dock. A ship? But where were they going? Despite her fear, Bella still found herself curious.

Victoria once more threw Bella over her shoulder and rushed passed the workers (she moved so fast that they didn't notice her) and around the other side of the cargo liner. Clinging to the metal hull, she crawled up to a window, opened it, and looked around. After being satisfied that no one was inside, Victoria pulled both she and Bella through the window and into the cargo hold. She tugged poor Bella over to a dark, dank corner and threw her down. Bella sank into the wall, gripping herself as she watched Victoria move in terror. The vampire grabbed a chain that held a box together and yanked at it. Somehow, she managed to attach it to the wall, and then tie it around Bella's waist. Rather tightly in fact. Once that was done Victoria made a pile of boxes to hide Bella from the world. One of them, a long, lengthy box, she laid right beside her. Upon opening it, Bella saw that it was full of nothing but dirt. She would have asked, but she was too frightened. Victoria grabbed a cover on a different box and laid it along the dirt. "There we are." She pat it and sat herself inside. "Good and comfortable. Now..." She laced her fingers together, eyes narrowed. Bella shrank back. "It's a long way to Italy. So I don't want to hear a single whimper out of you the entire way there, you got it?"

Bella swallowed, though her throat was dry. "I-Italy...?"

"I'll only feed you if you don't try to escape, and you don't bother me. And you get one bathroom break a night. Got me?" Bella felt her mouth open and close in a flabbergasted way. "I said, _got me?_"

"Y-yes," Bella squeaked. Nodding, Victoria looked around and hopped out of her dirt filled bed. Bella sat where she was, lightly tugging on the chain. Though Victoria had squeezed the links together. There was no getting out of it. Not unless she wanted to saw herself in half. Though Bella wasn't normally a religious person, as she curled up in her cold, lonely prison, she clutched her hands together and started to pray.

_Please... Please let me live._

DIDN'T EXPECT THAT, DIDJA! -ahem-

Anywho. Looks like Bella is being whisked away to Italy. I'll give a cookie to anyone who can guess why Victoria's "coffin" is filled with dirt. Leave those reviews!

~T.


	22. Benvenuto a L'Italia

Well, congrats, Wingo! You get the cookie for guessing right! :B Enjoy it. Yes, for those who don't know, one of the old myths is that a vampire needs their native soil in order to travel across large bodies of water. A reason why Alice wouldn't have been able to get on an airplane in _New Moon_... ahem.

By the way – I hope you guys remembered Lydia's explanation of the Volturi, and the rules that differentiate between genetics and turned vampires. Things are different, remember.

**Twenty Two: ****Benvenuto a L'Italia**

**F**or the longest time, Bella felt as though she were trapped within a strange, detached dream. Chained to the metal wall behind her, Bella remained captive, hidden behind wooden crates. There were no windows, no portholes. She could see nothing but the dark of the hull, and hear the hollow crashing of waves. The only way she could tell the difference between night and day was when Victoria was awake or asleep. Not to say that she never tried to escape. Though she feared calling out to the men above because of Victoria, Bella started out on the journey clawing and yanking at the chains to try and liberate herself. She got free only once, and was quickly subdued and beaten for it, before being returned to her prison. But after days without food as punishment, Bella decided the best way was to just remain docile until they were on dry land again. The countless hours of confinement nearly drove her to madness, as she escaped inside her own thoughts for some sort of repave from reality. In her head, she went on picnics, watched movies, read books... Just the other night, she had a lovely dinner with Edward. Alice had cooked them goose filled with chocolate. She played tennis. Composed beautiful songs. Started a family. All within the confides of her own imagination. However, what little bit of sanity she had left refused her to leave herself completely, and Bella always found her mind returning back to the truth.

Her tears ran out after the first day of being captured. In fact, after what seemed to be two weeks, Bella stopped talking all together. There was no need. After the first month, Bella questioned whether or not she could remember how to. Her hair had grown longer, she began to realize, as well as her fingernails. To keep herself occupied, she picked at them and piled them in a tiny cluster to her right. What little time she did have outside of her chains was only once a day. It was when Victoria escorted her to the bathroom on the level above them. Always at night, always with no one looking. The food that Bella was given was whatever Victoria could scrape together for her, though Bella had to remind her once or twice that she did need something to drink. Soon, Bella was eating one meal a day of dirty bread, a slice of raw fish, and a glass of water. And when she became sick, Bella had no choice but to vomit in a bucket close to her, and then push it as far away as possible. She grew so filthy without any means of bathing, that she began to hate her own smell. Her body was rotting away. Bella knew this. But after a while, she hardly cared.

Finally, her days of being held prisoner were over. At least on a ship.

At first, it seemed as though Bella was dreaming. She began to hear voices above and around the ship, and footsteps moving back and forth. Before she knew it, Bella's chains had been removed. Victoria lifted her limp body into a crate and promptly shut the lid tightly. Fear overtook her, but Bella's softened muscles and ever weakening health did not allow her to move. Suddenly, she felt herself being picked up and hauled out on deck. Sunlight harshly shot through cracks around her, nearly blinding Bella for a moment or two. She could detect two languages. One was English. The other... sounded vaguely European. Then she remembered Victoria mentioning where they were going – Italy.

As the ship hands moved the boxes this way and that, Bella tumbled about inside of her box, clutching the sides weakly. She could have pounded on the lid, shouted for them to let her out and take her home. In fact, it would have been a prime moment to do so, as it was very bright this day. But her slamming fist barely registered against the thuds of so many boots, and barely had enough force to slam in the first place. As for her voice, it came out in a raspy hush, unable to form any variation of audible word known to man. Her path was unknown as she felt her crate being perched on some sort of wheel barrel and then pushed into some place dark. The smell of exhaust met her as a truck engine vibrated beneath them, and they were driven to God only knew where. For hours on end, Bella remained in that cramped box. The fear had long since left her, and she actually fell asleep. She was awakened, however, when she heard the nails of her crate being yanked upwards, and the lid itself tossed aside.

"Get up."

Some how, the two crates had wound up on the side of a dirt road. It was now in the dead of night. The moon was half full above them, the stars amazingly abundant along the rural sky. Bella didn't hear a car for miles. It was odd, not feeling something rocking beneath her, but she managed to shift in her box, and pull herself out of it. Unfortunately, with no strength left in her legs, she promptly collapsed into the grass outside of it. The smell was almost overpowering, and Bella grasped at the green blades, the scent of such plants giving her hope for freedom. Above her, she heard Victoria's scoff of annoyance. "Honestly... Humans are so useless." Grabbing Bella by the neck, she sat her on the edge of her crate, before taking out a large sack. Bella half thought that it would be her next prison, but no. Victoria filled the sack with the dirt she took with her, and then tied it up, putting it over her shoulder. Turning to Bella, she gripped her arm and practically dragged her away. Now that Bella's eyes had adjusted, she could see a little inn just off the road.

There were a few electric lights burning in the windows, and Bella could hear the sounds of civilization flowing from within. The smell of hot foot taunted her, and her mouth began to water. Victoria took them inside to see a lobby of sorts, a few guests sitting at various tables and couches. Some were eating plates of wonderful, wonderful food. She stared at the plates in an almost lustful way, wanting nothing more than to finally eat a filling meal. She didn't even notice when Victoria struck up a conversation with the person in charge. After handing her a bit of money, Victoria was given a key, and the vampire escorted Bella up the stairs and towards their room.

"_V__oi gradicono il pranzo trasmesso in su?_**"**

Victoria paused before looking at Bella, who was barely a twig on a branch by this point. "_Si_," she replied. Turning back around, she lead them into their room, and threw Bella onto the floor. Bella didn't care. There was carpet here! She pushed her face into it, her hands slowly moving up and down along the carpet. It was so soft, so _wonderful_. "You'd better be thankful that I have to consider your health," Victoria sneered. "Or else you wouldn't get dinner tonight." She then proceeded to make arrangements for herself on the only bed. She drew the curtains tightly, and began making sure that the blankets were thick enough so that sunlight couldn't go through them. "After you eat, go take a shower," she instructed. "You smell terrible. In fact, shower twice, just to be safe. Then brush your hair, and get good sleep. Plenty of sleep. Don't worry about your clothes, I have something for you to wear."

Bella looked up to Victoria, still plastered to the carpet, as if to ask: "Why?"

Victoria merely replied with a roll of her eyes. "Just do as I say, human. Or would you rather I bruise that pretty little face of yours to get my point across?"

Bella turned her eyes away. She would take whatever hospitality she was given. When the food came, Bella had rediscovered her muscle strength, and answered it. A plate of unrecognizable, but hot and wonderful smelling food was presented to her. She nodded in thanks and then sat on the floor, eating as much as she possibly could. Almost to the point of making her sick. But she ate every speck of food on that plate, licking up the juices afterword. Though she was incredibly tired, Bella went into the bathroom and took two showers as instructed. Layers of dirt and grime washed from her pink body, leaving her feeling cleaner than she had been in ages. How long had it been? She didn't even have a watch to know what time it was. She practically drank half a bottle of mouth wash, scrubbing her teeth with a finger. Her hair was a bit more of a struggle, but she got it brushed. Finally, she stumbled back into the room. She had been given a sheet and a pillow to sleep with on the carpet. Bella almost didn't get that far. Curling up beneath the cover, she gripped her pillow and quickly fell asleep.

She was roused again the next night, and given something in a long bag. Upon opening it, Bella discovered that it was a white dress. This confused her, but she thought it best not to argue with Victoria. So, she put it on, and found that it fit her quite well, despite the weight she lost. She now looked like a well dressed skeleton, floating in a ghostly manner in the mirror before her. Victoria even took the time to pull up her hair in some sort of complex bun, making sure that her neck was visible. "Good," she said, after looking Bella over. Giving her one last meal at the inn, Victoria then fastened a cloak around her shoulders and tossed her under her arm. Opening the window, she leapt into the night's sky. The air nipped and bit at Bella's exposed skin, and she shivered. However, she did not protest or complain. The sooner all of this was over, the better. In fact, Bella almost hoped that Victoria would just kill her and be done with it.

Eventually, they came across what seemed to be a large estate. Bella blinked. It was an old, fading away building with history paved into every stone and piece of plaster used to create it. It was grand. No, it was beyond that. The house itself was a traditional Italian style of architecture, some parts looking almost like ancient Rome. Its walls were a warm, welcoming russet color, the house sitting on two different levels, almost looking like two different houses. On one side sat an exquisite vineyard, a small working house perched just beyond. Standing in the presence of such a majestic household, Bella couldn't help but feel in awe. She saw lights shine within one of the balconies, flickering against the night's sky. There must have been some kind of party. Victoria stood Bella on her feet and then dusted her off. After looking her over yet again, she nodded and stashed her bag of dirt near a large tree. "Come along then." Taking Bella's shoulder, she began to walk the human up the drive and towards the amazing home.

Laughter could be heard inside. They approached the door, and were greeted by two very large, and very nasty looking men. Each wore fine suits and had their hair just so. But Bella could tell by their eyes that they were vampires. Victoria conversed with them in Italian, and after a bit of consideration, they let them inside. Bella was even more awe struck the minute her bare foot padded against the marble floor.

The inner space of the house was almost as exquisite, and certainly much more grand, than the outside. Amazing pieces of artwork hung along the walls, fine statues of Roman gods and goddesses littered the place. There was over priced furniture that sat very elegantly dressed figures. Some had eyes of bright gold, with fangs that protruded between lush, full lips or pale mouths twisted up into smiles. They were handed glasses of deep red. Much thicker than the consistency of wine. The other half of the crowd were sort of like the statues that decorated the place, in the fact that they showed no emotion, other than subdued obedience. Some of them barely wore any clothing whatsoever. Many had marks all along their necks and arms. Teeth marks from where the vampires had fed off of them. In fact, some were even being fed off of at that moment. Bella clutched her hands tightly in front of her thighs, wishing now more than ever that she had her mother's cross.

As the two were lead inside, Bella felt eyes turn onto her neck, burning holes against her skin. She squirmed, keeping her gaze pointed downward. She wasn't thinking of how to escape, how to contact help. No, she was far too exhausted. All she was thinking of, at that point in time, was hoping to high heaven that she lived. She was distracted as Victoria was suddenly fussing over her dress, shifting things around and making sure her hair was in its proper place. Bella watched curiously before a man approached them.

He was a tall figure, with dark hair that rested firmly along his square head. On his person, he wore fine silk and jewelry, a few pure gold chains hanging from his neck, and a number of expensive rings on his fingers. He smiled pleasantly at the two of them, his cheekbones protruding from his face. Bella realized that his eyes were not gold, like the other vampires there, but red. Deep, terrible, blood red. They turned to Victoria. "Good evening. I heard that you had a gift for my fathers?" His voice had a heavy English tint to it, deep enough to match his towering frame.

Victoria bowed her head slightly before standing. "Sir Demetri. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. My name is Victoria." Demetri took up her hand, kissing it lightly. "Yes," she said. She held out her hand to Bella. "If your fathers so desire..."

"Hm..." His piercing eyes skimmed over Bella, and her body froze over. "Unfortunately, Aro and the others don't seem in the mood to take appointments today. They are quite busy."

"Yes, yes, of course..." Victoria's cold hands gripped Bella's shoulders. "But they will want to see this. I have brought with me none other than the toy of the Cullen clan."

Demetri's brow shot upwards. "The Cullens...?" He paused. "Oh... You don't mean that bothersome little cluster of peace keepers? The one headed by Carlisle Cullen?"

"The very same."

"Hmm." Demetri rubbed his firmly set jaw, eyeing Bella up and down. "Perhaps they may make time. Hold for one moment." Turning, he strode away, leaving Bella and Victoria to themselves. Again, Victoria began to fuss with Bella's dress and hair, making sure that every little fold was just so. Finally, they were approached a second time. Although, it was not Demetri who stood before them. Now, it was a petite, slim woman, her gold hair tied into curls behind her head. She wore a delicately smooth black dress, diamonds hanging from her slender neck and wrists. Her red eyes bored into Bella's face. She didn't seem as civil as Demetri had been.

"Your Ladyship." Victoria bowed lowly before her, and the woman's eyes shifted over to the vampire. Bella realized that her face looked somewhere between the lines of eighteen and twenty. "It is such a pleasure, Lady Jane. A true and utter – "

"You can flatter me later." Her voice was high, childish almost. However, she kept a regal air about her, hands on her hips. "Is this the gift you intend to present to my father and uncles?"

"It is indeed," said Victoria, straightening up. Jane took a moment before actually circling poor Bella, the human girl gripping her hands together even tighter. "I must tell you, it was no easy task getting her. You know how the Cullens can be."

"Mm..." Jane touched her bottom lip with her thumb. "She isn't a virgin," she said pointedly.

"Well, no," said Victoria. She held up Bella's bare arm, as if offering a sample. "But this blood is still the highest quality, I assure you."

Jane trailed her eyes all along Bella's arm and neck, considering her offer. After a moment or two, she turned from them. "Very well. Follow me." Victoria took Bella's arm roughly, leading her through the party and down a hallway. The voices and lamp light dwindled the farther they got, the darkness lit only by the flickering of large candles on the walls. A chill ran through the air, making Bella tremble, goose bumps trailing along her arms and legs. Finally, they came to a large set of oak doors. There were ancient engravings in the wood, the door handles large and daunting. Jane opened one of the doors without the slightest sign of struggle. Inside, a wide, round room sat. Their footsteps echoed as they moved forward. Bella felt an onslaught of worry and paranoia settle over her as she moved inward. Who awaited her? _What_ awaited her? Finally, they were motioned to stop. Bella caught sight of Demetri, standing with two other fellows near a pillar to her right. Remembering Lydia's story of the Volturi, they had to be none other than Felix and Alec. One was thin, with shoulder length, dark hair kept in a tail along his neck. He seemed to be a little older than the third, who had a youthful, almost boyish look about him. In fact, now that she looked at the three men standing there, and even back at Jane, Bella realized that these vampires had a strange sort of beauty that other vampires didn't. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact that they were born this way?

"We have guests, father." Jane's voice made Bella jump. She noticed then that three chairs sat before she and Victoria. With the room being so dark, she almost didn't notice that they were currently being filled by three other men. These must have been the Volturi brothers. To the left, a lean, elegant looking male with white hair that trailed down to his waist. To the right, an older face, yet still dashing, with loose brown curls that fell to his own shoulders. And seated in the middle, and in the most prominent chair, was the head brother. Or who Bella assumed was the head. His hair, like the man with the white head, was long and silken, flowing easily to his lower back. They all wore fine, high end suits made of the best materials. The sort of clothes that only the fabulously wealthy could buy. Jane removed herself from Victoria and Bella and approached the middle vampire. She stood to his left, in between he and the white haired one, and glared at the two before them. That must have meant that this one was Aro, Bella remembered. The other two being Caius and Marcus. Jane laid her willowy hand on Aro's shoulder as he looked upon the two. Victoria bowed low, almost to the point of kneeling.

"Your name?" Aro's voice had the smoothness, and the sleekness, of a well groomed snake, dripping with an Italian accent. His own crimson eyes were bored, it seemed, as he gazed upon the red-headed creature.

"Victoria," the other responded. "American origin. Vampire of thirty years. Former member of – "

"I only asked for your name, you babbling child." Aro's biting comment kept his aloof attitude, though it felt as though he had snapped. Victoria said nothing more, but remained still. Bella watched as Aro's eyes tilted towards Bella. "And what is this?"

"Ah!" Victoria, eager to show her gift off, stood and gripped Bella by the shoulders. She was too terrified of all of this to try and fight her off. "This is a gift, your lordship."

"A simple girl?" came the white haired vampire's scoff. "We have plenty."

"What makes this one special?" came the curly haired one's reply.

"She claims that this is the pet of those peace keepers in America," interjected Jane with a haughty sniff.

"The Cullen's, you mean?"

Eyes turned over to where one of the other vampires – the one with the boyish face – spoke up. Clearly, a spark of interest hit his expression once Edward's family was mentioned. Victoria jumped on his enthusiasm.

"Why yes!" she purred in excitement. "Yes indeed!" She turned back to Aro, her face hopeful. "Nasty little pests, aren't they?"

Aro took his time before finally saying: "Indeed. So..." He put his hands in his lap, putting one leg over the other. "This girl was their pet?"

"Yes... I thought you would appreciate her. It was not an easy acquisition, if I may say so. They put up quite a fight – "

The white haired one gave a cold laugh. "Perhaps for a babe such as yourself, peace keepers are quite the _challenge_."

"Caius." Aro held up a hand, silencing his sibling. He turned back to Victoria. "Well... You didn't come all the way here just to hand us a present, dear girl. So what, exactly, is your motive?"

Victoria licked her thin lips. Bella saw a wildness in her eyes as she took a small step forward. "Well, you see, your lordship..." She shifted on her feet before continuing. "My, ah... my clan was... well... it was _disbanded_ just a little while ago. The fault of these very same peace keepers, you know. That's how I came to know of this girl. And so I hoped that... perhaps... well... if your lordship is so _kind_... I thought that... perhaps..."

"Perhaps we may give you a home here?" Aro's flat tone remained unimpressed. Now, however, a bit of annoyance sat within it as well. "Is that it?"

Victoria's smile diminished a bit. Clearing her throat, she began to fumble about with her words. But there wasn't much she could say in this situation. "T-to put it simply... yes..."

A dead silence hit the room instantly after. Victoria's confidence seemed to slowly deplete under the Volturi's terrible stares. Bella could hear her own heartbeat thud within her ears. She began to rapidly think – what could she do? What was there to do? Could she run? She glanced behind her. No, there was no way. They would catch her before she could go five feet. She tried to look for a window. But none were there. At least, none she could see. So, she stood, and waited, and trembled in her thin, white dress. Finally, Aro leaned back against his chair, putting the tips of his spindle fingers together. He sighed through his nose.

"I'm sorry," he said simply. "We have no need for you." He tilted his head up to his daughter. "Jane? Would you care to do the honors?"

A twisted smile came to Jane's lips. "Thank you, father." In a sudden flash, she left Aro's side and re-appeared in front of Victoria. Bella's captor was just as surprised as she was, and kept that look of shock when Jane's hand sliced through her chest cavity like butter. Blood shot out of the hole she created, and dripped from her eyes, nose, mouth and ears as though it were being forcefully squeezed out. It reminded Bella of the time Alice was affected in her home, but much, much worse. She stood there, aghast and appalled, as Jane clutched Victoria by her heart. Suddenly, Victoria let out a scream. For her entire flesh had started to burst into flames. Jane laughed as her entire arm caught fire, but her skin did not singe. Instead, Victoria lit up like a match stick, turning a deep, burned grey. Finally, Jane removed her hand and the flame stopped. This caused Victoria's body to crumble into nothing more than a pile of lifeless ash. Bella stared at it, wide eyed and frozen with fear. Jane wiped the ash off the front of her dress, lightly flicking a flake or two off of her arm. Bella took a step back, and ended up tumbling to the ground, her eyes still plastered to what was left of Victoria. This action caused Jane to stare at Bella, as though she would be her next victim. When she spoke again, she kept her eyes on Bella.

"Are we keeping her?" she asked Aro.

"Hm..." Aro ran a finger beneath his lips. "I don't particularly care. We have so many all ready." He turned to his left. "Caius?" The answer was a no. Aro turned to his right. "Marcus?" Another no. His eyes shifted to the other three standing near. "And what of you boys? Would you like her? Felix, perhaps?"

"No thank you, father Aro," said the boy with the pony tail.

"Demetri?"

"I have enough, as you said, father Aro."

"Jane, what about you, dear?"

"I prefer virgins," said Jane with a sneer.

"I'll take her."

Again, everyone looked back to the vampire with the boyish face. Aro seemed to smile. "Ah. Why am I not surprised, Alec? Very well, she's all yours."

Bella watched as Alec slowly made his way towards her. Quickly, she scrambled to her feet. A smirk slithered to his lips as he took her arm. "Oh, I can just imagine the look on those damned peace keeper's faces." He turned to the brothers, who were standing and ready to leave. "I hope she was Carlisle's pet. Don't you, father Aro?"

"Yes, of course..." Aro straightened out his suit before stepping away. "Now then. The sun should be rising soon. My word, I've gotten old." While he and the others left the large room, Alec gave Bella a quick once over. He laughed beneath his breath, his fangs gleaming in the candle light.

"I am going to have fun with you, little girl."

D8 Oh NOES! It looks like poor Bella is trapped! HOW WILL SHE GET OUT! Ehhhhhhhhh this took longer than expected. Oh well. Leave those wonderful reviews!

Till next time,

~T.


	23. Alec Bonaparte

I do apologize for not updating last weekend. There was this whole fiasco with this group that I was in that I had to help clean up and such... That, and I went out of town all during it. So... yeah.

**Twenty Three: Alec Bonaparte**

**O**ne of the first things that Bella got to do in the Volturi estate, something that she was very, very happy to do, was eat. Though she had eaten before they left the inn, the food was hardly enough to quell Bella's starvation for months or more. She was fed all she wanted and then some, and afterwords, was given a bath filled with rose petals and sweet smelling bath salts. Of course, while she was wallowing in all of this comfort, Bella couldn't help but feel as though there was a huge catch at the end of all of this. And indeed, she was right. After being given an ultra-soft bed to sleep in, and having the greatest night's rest in all her life, Bella was awoken the next evening by a cold hand on her forehead. At first, her drowsy mind thought that it was Edward. But no. The face that she woke to was not Edward's, but Alec's. He smiled deviously at her as she stirred and sat up, her eyes wide with fear. His own red ones sparkled at her intimidation.

"Good. You're up."

"How long have you been standing there?" Bella's voice miraculously had returned to her, bringing with it some unfounded, and foolish, bravery. "W...were you watching me this entire time...?"

Alec only laughed, standing upright. Though Bella would admit that he was a beautiful creature, it didn't stop the utter fear she felt looking upon his handsome features. "Just for an hour or so. I awoke at sunset." He flicked his wrist towards a half naked human girl, far younger than Bella, and she approached them, holding out a costume of sorts. It was silken, trimmed with gold and tassels. It was also very slim on the material. She watched as the girl set it down and then obediently left the room. This left Alec and Bella all alone together. Fear made her grip the blanket close to her chest. Alec casually sat himself at her bedside, his eyes peering into her own. He gestured towards the outfit.

"I believe it's your size," he said, the tips of his fangs flashing beneath his lips.

Bella sat there for a moment or two, unsure if she should move or not. Finally, she reached a trembling hand forward and took the outfit. If one could call it that, anyway. For this thing that she had in her hand was nothing but a short, white skirt of silk, and a vaguely see-thru top to match. Embarrassment overtrumped her fear for a split second and she pushed it in between her legs, her eyes snapping right back up to Alec, who was laughing in amusement.

"I'm not wearing this!" she proclaimed, a sudden flair in her voice. This, of course, only caused Alec to laugh louder, and Bella to flush worse.

"You're quite the lively one, I'll give you that." His voice, Bella noticed, had a French tinge to it. Not overly so, but enough to register. He leaned forward swiftly then, making Bella's heart recede quickly into her stomach, her eyes widening. "Tell me something. And be honest. Do you miss them?" His lips leaned close to her ear, voice practically dripping with malice. "Do you _miss_ your precious peace keepers, hm?" His prickly fingers began to trail up her arm, the front of his teeth just gently nibbling against the top layer of her skin. It sent shivers down her spine. "Do you miss them _playing_ with you, hm? What is it you _do_ for peace keepers, anyway?" His hand trailed down from her arm to in between her thighs.

In a natural reaction, Bella slapped Alec hard across the face, turning her body well away from his hand. There was a silence, as Bella's pulse pounded in her head. But after a while, Alec's smile returned, his eyes alight. "I see." Grabbing Bella's wrists, he pinned her to the bed, his cheshire cat grin twisting along his lips. "You _are_ fun, aren't you?"

Bella tried squirming away, tried kicking and pushing and crying out. But it was no use. He was far too strong to get away from. "Stop!" she begged, wriggling like a worm on a hook. "Why do you hate the Cullens anyway! What is it they did that was so bad?"

For once, Alec's smile left him completely. His eyes, already so fearsome in their red color, suddenly hardened, narrowing into a snake like glare. This caused Bella to recede into the pillows, her fists trembling without pause. Alec leaned down, his nostrils flaring.

"What did they do?" he responded. "What did _he_ do, more like..." His French tenner was starting to leak out the more angry his voice became. "Tell me, little human. You know your history, yes? France, the turn of the 19th century. The world was under the hold of one of the greatest men of all time. Napoleon Bonaparte. My father."

"...Father?" That could only mean one thing. "N...Napoleon was a...?"

"A genetic vampire of the highest class!" His boast was now marinated with French drizzle, his eyes bright. "A great warrior, an even greater conqueror!" He sneered then, his fangs bared beneath his curling lips. "Until zat _salope_ ruined everysing! He took my fazur away – murdered heem!"

"Th-that can't be true!" Bella suddenly found herself saying. "Napoleon died in France! Carlisle was in America – "

"Feh!" Alec's bark was enough to make Bella jump. "He was gaining too much attention by ze human worlds. So he _faked_ his death. Easy to do when you were born among ze non-living, oui?" His smirk was viscous then, unrelenting. "He was to conquer America. That piteeful leetle country would have _crumbled_ under 'is 'old! Until... until zat... zat..." He shook his head and swore heavily in French. Bella couldn't make out what was said, but it hardly seemed pleasant. Alec took a breath or two, clearly calming himself. His grip, since starting on his tirade, had tightened, and was now loose against Bella's wrists. After regaining his composure, Alec let his sly smile regain.

"But now look," he said, his accent under control. "Now I have his toy. _Mine _to play with."

Bella felt courage (or stupidity) boil within her chest, as she announced boldly: "I am _not_ a toy!"

Alec laughed outright at her defiance, before leaning forward towards – of all places – her neck. Bella panicked and began to squirm, screaming and kicking. But all of it was for naught. For a second later, she felt those fangs pierce her neck, and her blood being sucked up into a hot, wet mouth. As Alec tasted her, Bella cried out and begged him to stop. And then, something happened. Something Bella could not explain. It was like a shock of warm electricity, bolting down her body. It rendered her immobile, her eyes popping open. For what she was feeling, though she would never admit this out loud to anyone, was _ecstasy._ She couldn't help her body as she stopped struggling entirely. Her mouth hung open in a perpetual gasp, stars dancing before her eyes. Her toes curled in and curled out, and her back lifted from the bed. It felt as though she was orgasming. It confused her. More than that, it scared her more than anything else.

Finally, when Alec pulled away, Bella was (for lack of a better phrase) a hot mess. She laid below him, her body limp, and her face hot with pink. She could feel where blood dripped from the two pricks on her neck. But she had no strength to touch them. Alec grinned, licking the blood from his lips. "Mmn... What a shame. Such wonderful blood... All this time, it was being waisted on _peace keepers._ What an absolute shame..."

Leaving her bed, he said something to the few servants that still stood around and then left Bella's room. The girl herself was abuzz with whatever it was Alec had done. However, as she sobered up, she began to feel a deep seeded shame. Shaking horribly, she propped herself on her arms, her chest heaving. The nameless servants surrounded her and began to undress the human. Too embarrassed to tell them to go away, she allowed them to remove the white dress Victoria had given her, and almost forcefully dressed her in the slim, slave clothes that she would now have to wear. Once she was "dressed" (though there was hardly enough fabric to call it such), Bella looked at herself in the mirror. Overexposed, frighted, malnourished, and alone, she stood. And now, she had been made a mockery of by her captor. Her hand went to the pale pinpricks on her neck. In the mirror, she saw the window to her room, the moon just gently glowing in the navy sky. Staring at it, she became determined. She had nothing more to lose but her life. As it was, she might end up losing that anyway. So, with nothing to gamble with, she made a vow to herself.

She would escape this place. One day soon, she would run and never look back.

Sorry this is so short. The last one was long, so it makes up for it...

What do you guys think of the new Alec? He gets much worse than this, by the way. _Much_ worse.

~T.


	24. Escape

Wow, a lot of you seem to like Alec XD Well... you won't like him for long. That is... in the fourth book he... -ahem- nevermind.

**Twenty Four: Escape **

**F**or days, Bella was treated as nothing less than a well trained animal. She was taught how to serve, never to speak, not to struggle when being fed off of. Of course, Bella never really took these lessons to heart. When she was fondled or harassed, Bella couldn't help biting back. She had even hit a guest or two with her own serving tray. This irked the Volturi greatly, particularly Jane. But Alec never allowed anyone to punish Bella. He seemed to enjoy watching her struggle against the powers that held her captive. Almost praising her from time to time. Not to say he wanted her to be completely rebellious. Just enough to amuse him. Whenever she was too defensive, Alec would take it upon himself to discipline her. He'd never strike her face, but he would hit her around the stomach and legs. He would also force her down and take blood when he wanted. Especially if she had acted up. The other slaves spoke not a word to her, or to each other, for that matter. Bella almost wondered if they had forgotten how to speak. That, or the vampires had removed their tongues. Either option wouldn't surprise her.

All the while, Bella planned for her escape. Instead of the lush, wonderful room she was given before, now she slept in a dank prison cell down by the only kitchen in the estate. They were kept on a high citrus diet to cope with the nearly nightly loss of blood. Bella even saw a few fall to illness because of it. While she was fed, she would take careful note of the kitchen, and the cells that she and the other humans slept in. It was somewhat under ground, which proved a bit of a problem for escape. Bella also had to be careful in planning, lest a more loyal slave tell on her. But, no one seemed to know a thing about what the human girl was planning. By some stroke of brilliant luck, Bella found one of the stones in her cell wall was rather loose on the second day of capture. It would create a hole large enough for the skinny, malnourished girl to fit through, and it was high enough to dig to ground level. The only problem was getting it out. Despite it being so loose, stone was still stone, and there were parts of the wall that held it steadfastly in its place. As though even the building did not want her to go. Thankfully, she had stolen a small knife from the kitchen, which she used to carve the stone out while the others were asleep. By the second week, Bella was so close to freedom, she could taste it.

But she could not go yet. There was one last party that she would have to bare before finally gaining her freedom. Once more dressed in nothing but very slim garments, Bella was given her usual serving tray, filled with wine glasses of blood, and sent out into the mass. One thing Bella noticed about the Volturi. They almost always had some sort of party or gathering. And no guest was the same each night. Many times, she saw vampires implore the Volturi for favors or advice. Aro seemed to get most of these pleas. In a way, he almost seemed as though his age had made him weary, Bella also noticed. A man who is too tired and too bored for others' gripes. Yet he listened to every one. Jane was not so patient. She would often try to dissuade anyone who came from seeing her father and uncles. She always had a sour look on her face, and was very easy to set off. This anger was often calmed by Demetri, who seemed used to the girl's mood swings. Felix, Bella noticed, kept to himself for the most part, often following Marcus around like a pet dog.

In any case, she currently served the guests their blood, silently going from one vampire to another. All the while, she quietly awaited her hour of freedom. Once the sun went up, she would be gone from this place forever. Just as she was about to pull away to get more blood, a hand grabbed her wrist. She jumped, not expecting to be grabbed. The vampire in question was a rather chubby fellow, his hair thin around his fat, balding head. He grinned, fangs poking out between his chubby lips.

"Guter Tag, mein liebes," he said in heavy German. "I don't sink I've eva seen you here before, fraulein. Are you knew? You may speak."

Bella narrowed her eyes, yanking her hand away from his. "Yes," she said simply. She turned to leave, but the German vampire only laughed, grabbing her hand again.

"Vat is da rush, mine fraulein? You have no where else to go. Come. Sit wis me." He patted the cushion beside him, his fangs gleaming with saliva. Once more, Bella tugged her arm away.

"No thank you," she said pointedly. But for a third time, she was grabbed. Much tighter this time. And was jerked onto the seat next to him. His thick arm wrapped around her shoulders and he grinned, his gold eyes gleaming at the prospect of her neck.

"Don't be such a sour puss, liebes," he purred, his tongue licking his fat lips. "Come... relax."

"No _thank_ you," she spat. She tried to get up, but the vampire held her down. He laughed again.

"Come now, don't struggle!" But the mere fidgeting became a full on fight, Bella pushing and pulling herself away as much as possible. In fact, the others began to turn to watch, a little surprised at Bella's antics. Finally, the German vampire had pinned Bella to the couch, his fangs flashing. "Vat an impudent child!" he hissed.

"Get off of me!" Bella screamed. The party slowly went silent as Bella continued to flail, keeping her shoulders high around her neck to protect herself.

"Now stop zis, fraulein! I don't vant to hurt you! Sink of how mad zee Volturi vill be if I damage zer property!" Bella ignored his slurs and yanked her hand away. Reaching up, she actually began to claw at his cheek. He cried out – probably more out of surprise than pain – and quickly slapped away her hand. "Vhy you leetle – !"

"That is enough, Heir Lipshitz."

The German vampire paused and looked up. Alec stood behind him, his face not amused in the slightest. The one called Lipshitz sat up, dusting himself off. "Lord Alec," he said quickly, almost out of embarrassment. "Forgive me, I lost mineself for a moment – "

"You forgot your place," said Alec simply. He walked over to Bella, who was just sitting up and grabbed her by the scruff of her neck. A little whimper came from Bella and she shut her eyes tightly. "This one is mine, Lipshitz. Remember this." Then, almost on cue, Bella felt his fangs once more break the skin of Bella's nape. Following the first motion, the feeling of ecstasy followed soon after. She probably should have been used to this by now, but it still frightened her beyond belief. She moaned, her body going limp, and her eyes rolling upwards beneath their lids. Once he was finished, Bella felt Alec's cold lips place kisses against her skin and shuddered.

"J-ja, mine Lord... Ja..." With that, Lipshitz left Alec and Bella alone, the Italian voice behind her giving a little chuckle.

"Germans are always so impulsive..." As he spoke, he ran his hand up Bella's bare side. She wanted to yank away, but his feeding left her strengthless. So, instead, she sat their like a limp puppet, letting Alec fondle her. However, she was not silent.

"You're all sick bastards," she muttered boldly. He laughed in her ear at that, kissing the shell of it.

"Si," he replied. "But us sick bastards are the ones with the power, are we not?" His hands roamed wherever they pleased, making Bella cringe with each new inch. After giving her a good pet, he stood, and then left her sitting there, her tray discarded at her feet. Bella watched him go with utter disdain, her eyes searing at his retreating figure. But no matter. This would be her last night here. So let him have his fun for now.

Finally, the party had ended, the slaves were fed, and then sent to their cells. Bella fought to stay awake, her knife hidden beneath the hay beside her. Once she was certain that everyone was sleeping peacefully, Bella took out her tool and continued to chip away the last bits of cement around the stone. After she worked for twenty minutes or so, the last bit of gray was chipped off, and the stone was loose. Bella carefully removed it from its place, dirt crumbling as she did so. Suddenly, sunlight shot through the slit at the very top, blinding here for a moment or two. After getting used to it, she stood on her stone and began to dig rapidly through the dirt like a burrowing animal. The earth crumbled away easily, small blades of grass falling as well. Soon, the hole was big enough for her to crawl through. It wasn't long before she found herself on her hands and knees, practically kissing the grass.

But she didn't linger. Standing on her bare feet, Bella began to run. She ran, and ran, and ran. There were no buildings for what seemed like miles, so she just followed wherever her feet took her. Over hills and through patches of tall grass, until finally, late in the afternoon, she found a small farm in her sights. With human farmers. Relief at her new safety overwhelmed her, and she rushed for it. She knew no Italian, but she hoped that they would understand her.

"Help!" she cried. "Help me! Help! Help!" As she got closer, she found that the farmers she saw was an elderly couple. The husband was currently grooming a brilliant, brown steed, while the wife fed the chickens and pigs. Upon her shouting, they both looked up, shocked at the near naked girl running towards them. Half way there, she tripped and tumbled to the grass. This made the couple rush towards her. They asked her several questions in Italian as they helped her up, the man taking off his coat to cover her shoulders. She thanked them as best she could, her stomach rumbling painfully. The wife seemed to know her condition, and helped her inside, the husband soon following.

The minute Bella stepped over that threshold, and into that warm, loving house, was the minute she broke into tears of happiness. She was safe. Finally, after months of captivity and slavery, she was safe. She leaned against the old woman as she was coddled like a lonely child, and wept. Quickly, the husband made her some soup and she was sat at the table. Oh what kindness humanity had to offer. As she ate, she cried tears of joy, smiling gratefully at the old couple. They didn't speak a word of English, and she knew no Italian. But she could tell by the gentle glow in their eyes that they were there to help.

After she was fed, Bella tried to tell them about her situation through hand signals and miming. They spoke slowly for her, and she figured out vaguely what they were asking. She seemed to get her message across well: That she had been kidnapped and recently escaped her prison. After their short and strange conversation, a bath was drawn for her. She washed off the sweat and dirt from her body, and was given a nightgown. She smiled gratefully and then was allowed a bed to live in.

"Ah... telephone?" she asked before she forgot. The woman understood and lead her to the telephone in the kitchen. Bella took it and began to dial a long distance number. It didn't take long before she got through to her own country. Even better, her own home.

"_Hello?_" came the voice of Charlie. He seemed drained. Weary almost. Bella felt heartbroken at the thought of her father, unknowing of his daughter's torture.

Voice cracking and tears flowing over a new, she spoke. "...Daddy?"

There was a long pause on the other line. "..._Bella? Bella! Oh God, Bella!_" She could hear her father break down into sobs on the other line. "_Oh I thought you were dead! Where are you? What happened? Where are you right now! I'm coming to get you!_"

Coming to get her? As much as she would love to embrace her father again, she couldn't bare the thought of what would happen if Alec got his hands on Charlie. "N-no Daddy!" she said quickly. "L-look... I'll... I'll be ok I just... I just need a way to c-come home..."

"_Oh Lord Bella... where are you?_"

"I... I'm in Italy. I'm ok now... L-look, I just need some money wired to me and I can come home –"

"_I saw the security footage at the airport! Who did it? What the hell happened? Wait... Italy... wait a minute..._"

"What Dad?"

"_You know... I think... I think the Cullens took a vacation to Italy a while ago._"

Bella's heart leapt. "Th-they did...?"

"_Yes... Dr. Cullen said that he'd be taking a lot of time off and then left with his family. Right after you vanished, actually... Maybe you should go and find them! I'll give you his cellphone number!_"

Quickly, Bella took down the information, thanking high heaven that Carlisle kept up with technology. Once that was over with, Charlie began to ramble on and on about how glad he was to hear Bella was alive. That, and how grateful her mother would be to hear the same thing. Bella couldn't wait to see them all again. Finally, she ended the call with her father and quickly dialed Carlisle's number.

"_Hello?_"

"Carlisle... It's Bella."

"_Ah. I had a feeling it would be you._" Despite his aloof statement, Bella could feel the relief in his voice. It made her smile. "_Good. You're still alive. Edward will be glad to hear it. Where are you now?_"

"A farm. Near the Volturi estate..."

"_I see. We'll leave first thing in the evening. Stay put, Bella._"

"I will."

With that, Carlisle hung up, leaving Bella in a state of relief.

Woot! Looks like she'll be rescued after all! But you know me. It won't be that easy, will it?

Leave those lovely reviews!

~T.


	25. Safety

~Lo! I hope we're all ready for the Halloween season! 8D My favorite Holiday, btw. In the review, after you tell me what you thought of this chapter, tell me what you're going as next weekend!

**Twenty Five: Safety**

**B**ella slept for an hour or two before she was roused by her own body. For some reason, she couldn't quite get to sleep, even though she was exhausted from everything that had happened. It was still daylight out, meaning she'd have to wait a bit more until the Cullen's came for her. She sat up in bed for a minute or two before getting out of it. She had been given a large, flannel shirt to sleep in, instead of her uncomfortable, see-thru outfit she was forced to wear at the Volturi estate. The elderly couple was speaking in the kitchen. When she approached them, they paused in their speech, the old lady breaking into a kind smile. She seemed to ask if Bella wanted anything. But Bella declined. After a moment of thought, she figured it would be good for her to take a bath. Ah, but how could she communicate that?

"Uh..." She tried to decide if she could use any gestures, but could think of nothing. "Can I... take a shower? Or a bath...?" They blinked before the husband seemed to understand.

"Ah, sì, sì." He lead her upstairs to the bathroom, smiling kindly. After thanking him the best way she could, she closed the door behind her and turned on the water. It was such a relief, sinking into the tub of hot steam. It relaxed her in a way she hadn't felt in what seemed to be ages. What would she do the minute she got home? Other than hug her father until his eyes popped out... Maybe have a big dinner with all of her friends. She began to imagine and fantasize about everything she would do when she got back. Perhaps she would just lay in the rain and close her eyes. Yes, that seemed like a wonderful idea.

Down below, she heard a few voices that brought her out of her thoughts. At first, she thought the old couple was just speaking as usual, but then she heard a third voice. Blinking, she sat up. It was a male voice, speaking in fluent Italian. Glancing out the window, she saw that it was still daylight out. It couldn't be Carlisle... Then who...?

That's when she heard the old lady's scream.

Heart jumping into her throat, she got out quickly and put on her night shirt, rushing downstairs. That's when she saw the horrible sight in front of her. The old woman was laying along the floor, dead, a pool of blood beneath her. The old man was currently being strangled to death, his feet dangling off the floor. And the culprit of this terrible crime was none other than Alec himself. He stood in the doorway, clearly having been invited in, bathed in full blown sunlight. Once the neck of the old man had snapped loudly, Alec threw him to the side, his red eyes gleaming as they shifted up to Bella. She hyperventilated, trying to pull back, but tripping and ended up sitting on the old, wooden steps.

"H..how...how... how...!"

Alec laughed lowly, blood dripping from his jaw. He stepped right over the old couple and slowly began to stalk up the staircase, towards Bella. His fingernails seemed to resemble claws as he came closer and closer. "Silly human," he purred. "I suppose you're expecting me to burst into flames? Heh..." Bella scrambled backwards, haphazardly getting to the top step and trying to regain her footing. "Genetic vampires are superior to turned vampires in every way. Including that irritating sunlight."

Bella pulled back further, and further, until she was practically dragging herself along the carpet. How could she defend herself? She had no crosses. No holy water. No stakes. And still, he advanced. He now towered over her, slowly putting one foot in front of the other. Would he kill her? She pulled back until she came to the wall at the end of the hallway. It only added to her fear. That's when she remembered something. It shot through her like a bolt of lightning, and she took a breath. Leaning forward, with as much voice as she could muster, she screamed:

"_YOU CANNOT COME IN!_"

Alec froze, mid step, his eyes popping out of his head. For a split second, Bella thought that it hadn't worked. That Alec was just playing games with her. But then – oh happy day! – she saw blood start to gush from his pores. He seized, shaking until he fell to his knees, coughing and sputtering blood. Bella quickly jumped to her feet and ran passed the vampire, pushing him out of the way as she went. He grabbed at her ankle with an oily, warm hand, but she easily kicked her way out of it and rushed downstairs. She was half way there when she heard someone call out her name. A very familiar someone. Blinking, she looked to the doorframe and seeing, of all people, Jacob Black standing before her.

A sudden relief wash over her, and she nearly collapsed. Instead, she went down the steps and opened her arms to embrace her dear friend. That is, until she felt two arms grab her from behind. She shrieked, realizing that it was Alec, drenched in blood, that was still fighting to get to her. However, he was only on her for a moment or two before a streak of white jumped passed her and knocked Alec off of her. Jacob had quickly transformed and fought Alec off, his silvery white fur now stained with splotches of red. Once Alec was knocked into a corner, Jacob ran in between Bella's legs and jumped up, causing her to fall onto his back. At first, she was afraid that she would hurt Jacob, but before she could ask, he took off running. Bella had just enough time to grab onto his mantle before they sped off into the distance. Bella wanted to cry into his fur, but refrained herself. Instead, she nuzzled close to it, curling her body up so that nothing would touch the ground and slow them. After a moment though, she heard a screech. Heart thumping, she looked behind her.

Now out of the house, Alec was leaping from point to point, his eyes blazing with fury. Jacob seemed to notice, and quickly dove them into a small cluster of trees just beyond the farmland. They dodged tree trunks and roots, the sound of Alec rushing through the leaves above them. Jacob's undulating body bounced her almost to the point of falling off, but she clutched as tightly as she could. They zig zagged through the forest, Jacob's paws kicking up dirt. They went in circles, went back and forth, back tracked, went through water. Everything to get Alec off their trail. Finally, Jacob dove them into a small cave of sorts, pushing them back as far as the cave would go. It was really just a hollowed out mound of dirt, sitting beside a river bank. Jacob backed his body against Bella's front, his eyes narrowed and his ears alert. The fur on the back of his spine shot straight up, and he waited. After a moment of silence, Bella saw the legs of Alec hop down in front of the mouth of their hide away. He seemed to look around him, and Bella could hear the sound of his nose sniffing. Her body was seized with fear, her eyes wide and her mouth over her hand to keep from panting heavily. Finally, he walked away, before leaping back up into the air, and back to the trees. Jacob let out a sigh, falling to his stomach.

Bella nearly collapsed against the floor, but kept herself up. Her eyes, watering with gratitude, looked to Jacob and she hiccuped. Lurching forward, she gripped his thick neck and began to silently cry into his fur. She could feel his rough tongue gently lick her face as they sat there, Bella softly thanking him in her own way. It wasn't long until she began to feel guilt for the last time they had parted. Oh Jacob must hate her! And here he was, saving her life while risking his own. She felt so horrible... it was like she was taking advantage of his kindness. She pulled back, trying to say that she was sorry. But the shifter didn't seem to be angry. In fact, he even leaned in and licked away a tear or two, his cold nose a gentle reminder of his acceptance. Bella smiled weakly and gave him another hug. After embracing for a moment or so more, Jacob pulled her back onto his back. Then, he poked his head out and looked either way. After which, he trotted out and began to quickly sprint the opposite direction. He kept his ears alert as they went, careful not to make too much noise, and keep his wits about him. But thankfully, they were able to leave without attracting Alec's attention.

They went until coming across a small bed and breakfast near the road. Before walking in, Jacob pulled away and changed back. He looked around before spotting a pair of pants folded up for him. After slipping them on, he gripped her shoulders and the two walked through the front door. "They're upstairs," he said softly, a young couple eating lunch near the window. Bella nodded and leaned into him, the two walking up to the room on the left. Upon opening the door, Bella saw the entire Cullen clan staring back at them in surprise.

"Bella..."

Edward's voice surprised her, and soon, the thin vampire was standing before her, his eyes almost in tears. They embraced, Edward running his hand up and down her back. But after a moment or two, the hug made Bella shiver, and she was given a blanket and something warmer to wear. Bella was sobbing at this point, curled up on the bed with Edward and Jacob both hugging her close. Finally, _finally_, she felt safe. She would be going home, with the people she loved, back to her father and her friends. She couldn't stop crying if she wanted to, her tears pouring more and more the longer she sat there. But finally, after what seemed to be forever, she stopped in her sobs, too tired to cry anymore.

"We'll leave tonight," said Carlisle simply. "We already have a boat on standby for us. Ready to leave whenever we are..."

"Thank you." Bella hiccuped and gripped both hands that held her. "Thank you all so much. I was... I was so..."

"Shh..." Edward pet her hair, kissing her temple fondly. "It's all over now. You're safe."

"B-but Alec..." She looked up, worried. "Alec can walk in sunlight – "

"All genetics can," said Carlisle simply. "It lessens their powers incredibly, but they can survive. Unlike us."

"But then he can come after us – !"

"Relax, Bella," said Jacob kindly. "I ran all around that forest. His sense of smell isn't as sharp in the daytime. He has no idea where we are."

"How are you feeling, dear?" Bella nearly jumped as Esme crouched in front of her, gently rubbing her knees. "Would you like to sleep for a bit?" Bella was already feeling a sudden feeling of drowsiness. She yawned.

"Y...yes... please..." She was laid down along the bed there, Jacob and Edward on either side of her. She didn't want either of them to leave (though she did have to put a blanket between she and Edward to remain warm). It made her feel safe. Feel loved.

Before she knew it, she was fast asleep, her hands gripping both of their own.

All right, before you guys get confused, let me clarify. In the original Dracula story, it was implied that Dracula was able to go out in the sunlight. His wives could not. In fact, the sunlight myth wasn't really started until the silent film _Nosferatu_, when the vampire suddenly vanished when the sun came up. Though I don't think it was because of the sun that he died. I think it was the girl's virtue that killed him. But American audiences interpreted it as the sunlight.

Anywho~! Leave those reviews!

~T.


	26. Bad Blood

Ehhhhh... three weeks, I know, I know... But first it was Halloween, then I had midterms to study for, then there was all this drama that I had to deal with... I'm going to try and finish EE real soon though. So don't fret. We're pretty close to the end here. I think it might be shorter than the other two.

**Twenty Six: Bad Blood**

**W**hen night fell, Bella was roused from her slumber with a gentle shake of her shoulders. She blinked awake, almost forgetting where she was. However, seeing Edward's face above her made reality wash over her like a welcomed breeze of fresh air. She raised her arms and gripped his neck tightly, the vampire embracing her without hesitation. He kissed her cheek and then pulled away, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Let's get you home," he said gently. Bella nodded and got to her wobbly feet. Esme had already sorted out some clothes for her to put on, which she did so gratefully. Once she was ready, they all headed out, Bella clutching Edward's shoulders as they rushed from sight. The wind was harsh, and the skies were dark, but the moon gave just enough light for the girl to see where they were going. After a while, she could detect the beginnings of water, the tops of boats misted over with moonlight. She could smell the hint of seawater, mere yards away from her ticket to freedom.

Everything was going well, and they were close to arriving, when all of the sudden, they all jerked to a stop. Bella felt a thrill shoot through her stomach as she was set to the ground. Out of nowhere, Alec had appeared before them, his eyes glowing a fierce red. Bella felt Edward's arm pushing upwards to protect her from the vampire that – quite literally – appeared before them. He stood in between the Cullens and the docks, grinning maliciously from ear to ear. After only a split second more, other vampires rushed into view, clouds of dust rising from their feet as they skidded to a halt. No doubt, all of Alec's backup were merely Volturi fans, as Bella didn't see a single red eye other than Alec's. The main vampire let out a low laugh, stepping forward. Easily, the enemy vampires outnumbered the Cullens four to one. Alec ran his tongue along the top row of his teeth, as Bella felt Edward and Jacob both ease in close to her. Alec's eyes, however, did not go to Bella – but to Carlisle.

"Well well... I had hoped that I would see you again, Cullen."

"Hello, Alec," said Carlisle firmly, his face unreadable. "We've come to take this girl home. Please move."

There was a very tense silence before Alec chortled slowly at Carlisle's words. He then broke into a booming laugh, the others joining. "Oh oh oh... _Misure Cullen!_ How silly of you!" Like a cat on the prowl, Alec began to move forward. "Do you _honestly_ think that I will let you get away that easy? Come now, I never thought of you as a weak man."

"I'll ask you once again. Please move out of my way."

Alec boldly stepped as close as he possibly could to Carlisle. Though the blond vampire was a head and a half taller than him, Alec refused to back down, grinning with his fangs out. His eyes twinkled dangerously, his muscles flinching beneath his jaw. "Tell me something, Misure... did you miss your little pet? Hm? Did you _worry_ over your _precious_ petite? Do you want to know what I have _done_ to her?" While he spoke, Bella felt Edward's hand on her arm tighten. "I have _tasted_ her, Misure Cullen. And she was..." He kissed the tips of his fingers. "Ahh... _Magnifique._ I got to see her body, too, Misure. A skinny little human, but pleasing none the less... Her skin... have you ever felt the skin of an orgasming female woman, Misure? Oh yes, I brought her _much_ pleasure while she was in my care. Her body would grow so hot, her blood would churn so fast... It was _ecstasy_, I assure you..." Beside her, she saw Edward slowly begin to tremble, his jaw locking, and his eyes narrowing at Alec. Bella tried to calm him, but could think of nothing to say. "Ah, just the _sounds_ of her moans, Misure... The way her body would react to me was just... well..." He laughed darkly. "Then again, what can you expect from such a filthy, human whore?"

The moment after Alec had said his last word, Edward left Bella's side and dove straight for him. They collided horribly, Edward dragging Alec to the ground. Alec easily kicked him off, sending him flying back fifty feet, and into the trees. It happened so quickly, that Bella had to catch herself to actually understand what was going on. Fear and excitement welled up within her. Those who Alec brought with him tried to surge forward to help. But Alec swatted at the air, insisting that they stay where they were. Even for a genetic vampire, Alec seemed surprised at Edward's actions, and now stared, fixated, on the trees. He was a bit shaken, and turned quickly to Carlisle. "You may want to keep a better leash on your pets, Cullen."

Carlisle merely shifted his head to the side. "Why shouldn't he be angry, Alec?" Bella could swear she saw the small shadow of a smirk on his lips. "Edward is the one who's Bella's lover. She isn't my pet at all."

Clearly, Alec was a little confused, and turned back to the trees. Suddenly, a fierce growling was heard within them. Bits of ash black fog began to curl out from the base of the trees, the moonlight making it seem ghostly. Bella could see a bit of fear strike Alec's eye. He tried laughing again, this time louder, but it was clear that he had not been expecting Edward's dark gift.

"So!" he boomed, digging his heels into the ground. "Fog, is it? Well well, this brings back such nostalgia for me! Right then..." He let his fangs bare, his neck muscles jutting out from his throat. "Come on then, _fils de pute_! Come on!"

From out of the darkness, two pure, amber eyes began to materialize. They glowered with a fierce, untamed energy, a feral snarl accompanying them soon after. Edward's body began to ooze out of the shadows and into the light. Once again, he had transformed into his dark gift – his true form. His body was nothing more than a vaguely formed puff of smokey fog. Though there were certain parts of his body that were indeed still solid, most of Edward was now a see-through bank of fog. He opened his mouth, giant fangs protruding from it, and gave a terrible yell. In a jerking motion, Edward zipped his way straight for Alec, ready to strike. But just before he could defeat him as he did James, Alec vanished. He didn't run, or else Bella would have noticed the motions that other vampires went through to do so. Instead, he just... popped out of existence. Edward came to a skidding halt, and turned to see Alec now standing behind him. Edward once more tried to lunge at him, but he yet again vanished from sight, only to reappear in a different area. He began to grow cocky, popping up in random places only to claw at what body parts were still tangible. He seemed to hit his target every time, for now wherever Edward went, dribbles of blood followed. Jacob and the other Cullens wanted to jump in and help, but were quickly blocked by the vampires that came along with Alec. But after a while of this, Edward got the upper hand.

Jerking around, he leapt to a spot just as Alec appeared. He had no time to vanish again, as Edward grabbed hold of his neck. As his nails dug into Alec's nape, Alec thrust his own hand into Edward's chest. They clutched each other relentlessly, snarling and snaring their beast like faces at one another. After a little while, however, Bella began to see Edward weakening. His foggy form started to flicker as it had a year before, his body slowly being pushed down to the ground, while Alec let out a triumphant smile. Bella was starting to see the glow fade away from his eyes, and she hyperventilated. She wanted to cry out – to scream, to stop this. But what could she do? How could she possibly get them to fight? Would she see Edward die right before her eyes? Ripped to shreds or strangled helplessly to death? Just as she started praying for something to stop it, a voice rang out.

"Alec! That is ENOUGH!"

Alec looked up, as did the others, to see the three Volturi brothers and Jane staring down at them. The four stood precariously on the tips of fern trees, their eyes cold and unforgiving. Without pause, they all gently hopped down towards the ground, landing like cats on their feet. As they approached the two fighting vampires, Alec dislodged himself from Edward, who quickly regained his physical form and took to coughing on his hands and knees. Bloody cuts were all over his body, but he was alive. Aro frowned as he came towards Alec, who stood there, his hands plastered to his sides. The head Volturi seemed... disappointed, to say the very least. "Now what is this all about?" He turned his eyes to the other vampires and jerked his hand in a sweeping motion. Without complaint, Alec's backup fled the scene, vanishing quickly from sight. It was now just Bella, Jacob, the Cullens and the Volturi. "All this fuss for one human girl?"

Alec scowled, looking as though he was being scolded by his father. "Lord Aro... You _know_ who this is, don't you?" He glared in Carlisle's direction, his face dark. "The one who killed him..."

"Yes, I know all about your father, Alec."

"Then why!" Alec rounded back to Aro, his eyes wild with something that likened to helplessness. "Why do you let him live? He should be dead! He killed a genetic vampire – !"

"Alec, it is illegal to kill a _Volturi_, not a genetic vampire. Do you not remember joining us _after_ your father was killed?"

"But this isn't _fair!_" Alec gripped his hair, as though he was about to tare it out. "He should pay! They should all _pay!_"

Aro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I was able to humor you for quite a while, Alec. But this bereft image of yours is getting tiresome. You may not like these peace keepers, but they're needed to keep the balance of the world. Without balance – "

"_Enculé _your balance!" Alec swore. "I don't _care_ about balance! I want him DEAD!"

There was a pause after this proclamation, Alec huffing and puffing as though he had just run quite a while. Aro didn't seem phased. He turned over to look at the Cullen clan, his eyes slipping from face to face. "Hello Lenore," he finally said. Bella turned to see Alice step forth, her hands folded neatly in front of her. Another long silence followed. After which, Alice smoothly curtsied before him, taking the tips of her dress up with her fingers as she did so.

"_Bueno sera, Signore Aro_," she said calmly. When she straightened up, he turned to her. There was something odd in his eyes as he stared at Alice. Something neither of them spoke of, but both of them knew.

"It has been a very long time." His gaze shifted to Carlisle and then back to Alice. "So... you have become a peace keeper, have you?"

"Yes," said Alice simply. "A few decades ago, don't you remember?"

"Ah yes. Yes, of course." He didn't elaborate. Instead, he remained where he was, his hands going behind him. "Are you doing well?"

"Quite well."

"And the lifestyle fits you?"

"Perfectly."

Aro smiled a little bit, his eyes going softer. "I hardly think anything could fit you perfectly, my dear Lenore." Alice did not respond. Instead, Emmett put a hand on her shoulder, staring at Aro firmly. The Cullens seemed to stand together then, as one group, keeping strong in the face of superiors. Even Edward, who since had gotten over his coughing fit, eventually stood and went back to his family. Not caring that he was naked from the change, Bella embraced him, and then turned to look up at Aro and the rest. Aro let his eyes travel over all of them before turning to Alec.

"You will listen," he said to the French boy. "I do not want a war on my hands, do you understand?" He turned fully towards him, taking a step forward. "You are to keep your distance from this family. The political risk is too great. This kind of situation has a knack for snowballing out of control. Therefore... You must not seek this clan out again. You must not seek vengeance. Do you understand?"

Alec's eyes blazed with fury. He looked between him, between the Cullens, and back again. After spitting at Carlisle's feet, he turned and took off into the night. Aro then turned to Carlisle. Both leaders kept their eyes firm, their faces unreadable. "You can get back to the states?"

"I can."

"Good." He glanced at his own family before turning back to Carlisle's. "I hope we can put this little incident behind us. Boys will be boys, after all."

"Yes." Still, Carlisle didn't sound very forgiving. "I suppose."

The two vampires stared one another down, each one trying to see into each other's mind. After a moment, Carlie put on a smile, and actually chuckled a bit. Clearly, he read a thought of Aro's. This made the head Volturi frown and spin to the others. "Come. The night wanes, my brothers. Daughter."

They nodded before bounding up from the ground, and vanishing into the darkness, just how Alec had. Carlisle watched them go before turning to Bella as Emmett gave Edward his jacket to wear. "Are you all right?" he asked her.

"I'm fine," she said, still in Edward's arms. "I just want to go home... is all..."

"Of course." Carlisle nodded. "But Bella..." He held up a finger to her. "Aro can only control Alec so far. From now on, you need to be as careful as you can be. Always cary around holy water and your cross. And always be in ear range of us. Do you understand?"

"I do."

"Good..." He turned back to the others then, and nodded. "Come. The boat is waiting for us." Turning, they all headed back to where the boat sat, floating, and ready to take them home.

Uh-oh~! Conflict for the next book! What do you think Alec will do in the future? And will he ever get his revenge?

~T.


	27. The Return

I know, I know! I'm sorry! T.T I should have updated WEEKS ago. But with the holidays, and then my grandma got sick and then I broke my toe and then I'm going to England... Oh, I forgot to mention that. I'm going to England in the spring :3 But EE _will_ be done before that time. I'm practically done now, I just need to... ahem... anyway! Enough of that!

**Twenty Seven: The Return**

**O**ne of the many things Bella thought people took for granted was salty, sea air. The way it brushed against her skin, the way it tasted just at the tip of her tongue... Why didn't people appreciate it more? As Bella leaned against the railing of their ship, she admired the far reaching horizon before her. It was still daytime, so she and Jacob were the only ones awake. However, Bella had spent the majority of the day on her own, deep in her thoughts. Life felt surreal now. Had she simply been dreaming? Yes... a dream, a nightmare. One that was over now. She may return to reality, safe and capable of living again. Or perhaps _this_ was the dream. Maybe she was still in the Volturi estate, passed out from sheer exhaustion, and waiting for someone to rouse her so that she may work the next night. Maybe it was neither. Maybe this whole thing was merely a delusion brought on by lack of sleep and nutrition. Whatever the reason and whatever the reality, Bella didn't suppose she minded, so long as her company didn't change hands. Propping her chin on her elbow, she watched as the dark gray water rippled beneath the pale gray sky. She spotted a few animals here and there. Mainly seagulls and pelicans. Other than that, Bella was mainly alone for her trip. That is, until two tanned hands slowly grabbed the railing beside her. Bella turned her eyes up to where Jacob stood, his black hair ruffling in the wind.

"Hey," he said, leaning forward on the rail.

"Hi."

There was a silence between the two of them. At first, Bella couldn't remember why. Then, it came back to her. The situation with the Volturi and Victoria completely threw her off memory, making her forget about what had been leading up to her capture. Standing straight up, Bella put both hands on the metal bar. "Listen, Jacob..."

"No, let me start." Blinking, she turned to her friend as he stared out into space. "What happened between us... It doesn't matter to me anymore. With after everything that happened to you..." He shook his head and turned to her, his eyes worn and ragged. "I'm not mad at all. Not in the slightest. Marry him for all I care. Just..." His voice suddenly began to waver. Reaching out, he brought Bella into a tight, warm hug. She returned it without question as he pushed his face into the side of her neck. "Just promise me that you'll be safe no matter what... Ok? Please, Bell..." His hand slid down her corse hair, his eyes plastered to the crux of her neck. If only one thing made her truly sad before, it would be this moment. He wasn't begging her to pick him, and he wasn't blaming her if she did not. Instead, he just stood there, embracing her, glad that she was alive. In all honesty, Bella felt the same way he did, grabbing onto the back of his shirt with tight hands. When he pulled away, his large hands cupped Bella's cheeks. He smiled weakly. "I'll always be your friend... no matter what, all right?" She nodded. They both knew that statement to be true. That's when Bella felt as though they weren't the only ones on deck.

Looking over, she saw Edward standing before them both, watching. Jacob and he locked eyes with one another. For a split second, Bella thought they would break out into another fight. But instead, Jacob kissed her crown, and left them without another word. However, when he and Edward passed, he gave the vampire a very particular look. What it said beneath his eyes, she wasn't sure of, as his back was to her. But soon, he walked off, and the two were alone at last. Bella stared at Edward for a moment before walking towards him. She took his cold hands with her soft ones. His eyes were weary and remorseful, but he stood tall and proud before her. Without saying a single thing, Bella laid her cheek on his firm chest. He hugged her soon after, the cool wind dancing around them. Edward laid his lips on her hair, but not in ways of a kiss. Just to be closer, Bella assumed. She listened to the inside of his body, unable to hear his heartbeat. But it didn't bother her.

"He's better for you, you know," came his rumbling voice. Bella didn't look up.

"Yes," she said. "I know."

"Then why not go after him?"

Bella thought about that. It was probably safer, considering all that's happened. Pulling away, she took his hands with hers. "I don't want to," she finally said. "It's stupid, I know. I just... I just don't love him like I love you. I don't think I ever have."

Edward looked at her, sadly. He shook his head then and put their noses together. "I wish you didn't," he said. Bella didn't respond to that. Because after only a moment's pause, he kissed her. Those cold lips felt so refreshing after all this time. Like a fresh drink of water. When they broke apart, Edward pet her hair, kissing the rim of her crown. "But since you do," he continued, "I swear to protect you from here on out. I'm going to make _sure_ that you're safe."

"Edward, you can't be with me all the time."

A silence fell after that. No, he _couldn't_ be with her at all times. She was a human. She needed sunlight and fresh air and society. He wasn't, and needed none of those things. The differences between them stood out then more than ever. But then, almost reluctantly, he began to speak. "That's not... entirely true..."

Bella suddenly felt her heart pound. Was he suggesting what she thought he was suggesting? But Bella didn't even get a chance to ask before he shook his head. "No... No, no, no... That's stupid of me. Of course I can't... Forget I said anything." But how could she? Her mind drifted into her own thoughts. Admittedly, during the entire time she had known Edward, Bella had let the idea cross her mind once or twice, there was no way she could keep it out of thought entirely. But it was more of a playful notion. A germ of an idea that she toyed with before going to bed at night. Now, however, it was brought to her attention in full.

What would it be like... to be a vampire by Edward's side?

Edward's soft, cold lips came to her brow again. "Come on," he said. "Let's do something to get our mind off things... Maybe you should rest."

"I've been resting ever since I got on the boat," she said, almost pouting. This was true. The entire trip, everyone bugged her to stay in bed, get her strength back, eat and sleep. She wanted to stretch her legs out a little. Taking Edward's chilled hand, they walked along the deck. "Edward... there's something I've been meaning to ask."

"Hm?"

"Well... When Victoria brought me here, she brought a bag of dirt with her." Bella turned up to stare at him. "I noticed that Carlisle did the same thing. You all did. What's it for?"

"Ah." He nodded, knowing exactly what she meant as they rounded the corner. "Carlisle made it a rule that we all must have our own on hand just in case. You see, vampires have many talents that humans don't. But as an equal trade, we are bound by restrictions that humans are not. One example is our inability to go into a human's home without being asked in."

"And the dirt?"

"Vampires – turned ones, anyway – cannot cross large bodies of water without soil from their native country." Edward ran a hand through his hair, trying to explain it properly. "When we become what we are, we die in many ways. The earth from the home of our human birth is the one thing that keeps us from loosing our last spec of humanity. If we did not have it, we would be nothing more than mindless killing machines. Untrainable beasts. That symbol of our past allows us to do what we could when we were human. Not as freely, but it's better than no way at all."

"I see... Then how did Carlisle get his?"

"He was lucky. While working in a museum here in America, he found a box with artifacts filled with English soil."

"How can he tell?"

Edward shrugged. "The way we can tell what type of blood a human is." He tapped his nose. "By scent."

"Oh..." Bella let this new fact roll around her head for a little bit, before turning back to him. "One more thing."

"Hm?"

"Your power..." They stopped walking, Edward's eyes clearly apprehensive. "When you fought Alec... even when you fought James all that time ago. They both seemed... surprised at what you can do. Is it special?"

Edward looked at her for a moment before turning away. Almost as though he was reluctant to tell her. "You can say that, I guess." He leaned against the railing, much like how Jacob and Bella leaned against it earlier. "Prince Vladimir Tepes the III was perhaps one of the most noted vampires in history."

"Dracula..."

"Right." He let his head roll back, his hood still staying over his hair, as he stared at the clouds. "When a human is created into a vampire by a genetic vampire, in this case, the Volturi, that vampire is a little ahead of the curve, so to speak. Dracula didn't have just one dark gift. He had four." He held up four fingers, counting them off. "Bats, rats, wolves, and fog... Those were his four other forms. They have since been scarcely seen in our race. James was the only other vampire I have seen with one of the four gifts. The bat."

"And you have fog..." That made a little sense, at least. "Do any of the Volturi have one of Dracula's gifts?"

"No," said Edward. "They had been hoping that Jane would have been born with one of them, but no luck."

"What's so special about it?"

"Apparently," Edward began slowly, "and this is what Carlisle tells me... They want to recreate Dracula." He sighed, elbows behind him on the rail. "One theory as to why they've been left alone for so long is because of me. And Alice."

"Oh..." Bella watched him after that. She began to consider everything that's happened. Did she want to keep this up? This perpetual risk? What if next time, it ended with her life? But as she stood there, staring, Bella began to realize that the pros outweighed the cons. They were all going to die eventually anyway. If Bella lived the rest of her short life without taking this chance with him, Bella didn't know if she could possibly ever forgive herself. So, turning to him, she laid herself along his front. Almost immediately after, he hugged her around the arms. They were like that until the entire sky became dark, and the others emerged from their rooms.

For the rest of the trip, Bella remained mostly at Edward's side. There were times when she went off on her own, but the majority of her time was spent with him. They talked, played cards, and sometimes did nothing at all.

Finally, the boat came around the Panama Canal and headed into the ports of Washington. It felt like ages since she last saw her home. More than likely, it was. She had called her father just before they were pulling in, and the man practically dove into the water by the time they caught each other's sights. Nothing stopped Bella as she rushed from the dock, down the ramp, and into Charlie's arms. While they embraced, they both broke down into tears. The entire trip, her mind lingered with the possibility that they might not make it home. But now, with her father's arms tightly around her, she could finally feel completely safe. He pulled back and kissed her cheeks over and over again, his face red and gaunt. "Oh Bell!" He gripped her as tight as he could before pulling away. "Come on. Let's get you home and get you some hot food. Whatever you want. And a nice hot bath."

"That sounds great, Dad..." They continued their tearful reunion until Bella finally got it within her to pull away. Next, they met with her friends, who blubbered just as badly as Charlie. Bella was out of tears by that point, but was still happy beyond compare that she could see them again. Even Renee had come over from Florida to see her again. The woman probably wouldn't have let go if Charlie hadn't told her that Bella couldn't breathe. It took the entire day to meet and spend time with everyone before Bella fell into the comforts of her own room. Everything was cold, but welcoming. She spent minutes on end just rolling around in her own sheets. After which, she was given a nice, home cooked meal, and went up to her bath. Just as the water was filling, and she was about to remove her robe, she had a strange tingling at her neck. Turning, a tapping filled the air of her room. She stopped the water and headed over to her window. There, on the ledge was Alice. They looked at one another before Bella opened the window, and allowed her to come in.

"I won't be staying," she said, her tiny feet touching the floor. She kept her eyes on the wall, Bella not bothering to catch them. "Things will be returning to normal, I'm assuming." It wasn't a question.

"Yes," said Bella simply. She hesitated. "Alice... I want to thank you. Well your whole family, really... Carlisle especially. I might be dead or worse if you guys didn't – "

"So you'll be staying here." Bella blinked at Alice's interruption. "With Edward."

Bella felt her resolve harden. "That's right."

Alice nodded. "Hm," she said. She seemed to consider something before turning to Bella. "In spite of all that's happened? Your mother will probably try to get you to come back and live with her."

"Probably."

"And you won't take the opportunity?"

Bella shook her head, making Alice lift a slim brow. "Well... if someone offered to take you away from Vlad, would you go?"

That seemed to soften her eyes a bit. She walked forward, glided, really, and put a clammy hand to her forehead. "Honestly? No, I wouldn't have." Her hand slipped from her face. "But you aren't me, Isabella Swan. The mistakes of my past needn't be repeated in your future."

Bella kept her face stoic, her eyes firmly connected with hers. "You're right," she said suddenly. "I'm not you, Lenore. I never have been." A tiny smile came to her face. "I can handle myself."

"Can you? Can you really?"

The smallest, tiniest seed of doubt was suddenly planted into her mind. Would she _really_ be able to handle herself? She shook her head. "I can," she said simply. "But thank you for worrying about me."

An awkward pause followed. But then, she smiled back. They seemed to understand one another on a level that was unspoken, even between them. Alice pat her cheek, turned and then left her room, a quick breeze of icy wind following her.

Finally. I promise, this will be finished very, very soon. At least within the first week of the new year. And then, on to the story we've all been waiting to be redone...

Leave reviews!

~T.


	28. Normal Life

OH MY LORD I AM SO SORRY I HAVEN'T UPDATED IN TWO MONTHS. I just went through the absolute TOUGHEST English class I have ever gone through D8 it took me the entire six weeks just to get an A paper. And I've always gotten those! Not to mention I'm still getting ready for England AND finishing up my second book AND am now working on a comic with a friend of mine which MUST be updated every two weeks (inhales sharply). But no more! Yesterday I had my last day of school for winter, and so that rigorous six-week class is OVAH, and I can actually get back to this thing. I really wanted to, too. BDD is going to be AMAZING, let me tell you. It'll be worth the wait.

What's odd though... this is the last chapter. EE is the shortest story with the longest time used to create it. It's been a busy time for me.

**Twenty Eight: Normal Life**

"**A**nd so, for the class of 2010, I say congratulations. You have gone through what many feel is impossible. For many of you, you are the first in your family to graduate. When you get your diploma today, I want each and every one of you to feel proud. It was your hard work and determination that..."

Bella listened with pride as the principal give his speech. Honestly, Bella wasn't sure if she could pass senior year with everything that happened. Thankfully, the school was willing to help her as much as possible, and after a few straight weeks of working nonstop, she was able to pass what she had to, and could walk with the rest of her friends. Beside her, Jessica rambled on and on about how now that they were graduating, she and Mike would be getting married. Bella and Angela didn't have to look at each other to know that they each thought the same thing on that subject. Craning her neck, Bella looked over to the stand, where she saw Charlie, Jacob, Renee and Phil all wave to her. And beyond them, she saw Esme, Emmett and Rosalie. Waving to all of them, she turned back around, looking opposite of her, and smiled at the back of Edward's head. He glanced over his shoulder, his own graduation cap hiding his face from the cloudy sky. It was funny, seeing him in graduation robes and a hat. She wondered what others would think if they were let in on this inside joke?

Finally, after the long winded speech, they were called up one by one to receive their diplomas. Feeling the material diploma placed in her hands, she felt as though she really achieved something. The world was open for her. What to do next? Her eyes once more met Edward's as he clapped for her. He had already got his. She wondered what he'd do with it. Stepping off the stage, she passed him and he smiled brightly at her. Finally, when the ceremony was over, Bella was showered with her family and friends, asking her all sorts of questions. What did she want to do now? What school was she looking at? Wow, could she believe that she finally graduated? And so on. Renee reached forward and hugged her close.

"And what's better than that," she began, "is that I've been researching colleges over in Florida. The University of Miami has a great photography program! What do you say? Hm? Back to the sunshine and warm weather..."

Bella didn't have to think about this one. She was done debating what was best and safe with what she really wanted. Smiling up at her mother, she took Renee's hand. "I think I want to stay in Forks for a little bit longer."

The adults all looked at each other, but Jacob smiled. "I... I thought you still wanted to move back with me, honey."

"Well, that was before," she said. "Now... I guess I've changed my mind." Turning, she took Charlie's hand, her face soft. "We've still got a lot to work on." Charlie's eyes glistened as he smiled gratefully at his daughter. Though Renee was disappointed, she respected Bella's decision and loved her all the same. They left the school to have a family lunch together. Things had gone back to normal. Almost in the way it was just two years ago. Before the wolves, before the Volturi, before the hunters and before Victoria's return. She felt peace in her heart. That peace was replaced with joy when the sun went down, and when Renee and Phil left for their motel room for the night. Opening her fixed window, she stood back and waited. It wasn't long until those familiar, rundown old shoes came to her sill.

"You can come in."

Sliding to the floor, Edward turned to Bella, smiling. She shut the window and closed the curtains before turning to her vampire lover. They embraced, Bella noticing something about his arms. Her brow lifted. "Well now..." She playfully walked her fingers up his chest. "Your skin is warm, Eddie _dear._ What's going through that naughty mind of yours...?"

His grin only widened, hands on her hips as he drew her in close. "I'll give you three guesses. The first two don't count."

They laughed before kissing again. Without any hesitation at all, Edward began to walk them back to the bed, before falling over onto it himself. Bella couldn't stop giggling in the promise of a fun night. Rolling over so that he was above her, Edward began to kiss all around her face, the heat of his body slowly crescendoing. He must have been extremely horny. It wasn't long before his lips trailed to her neck. Suddenly, her heart gave a throb of surprise. It seemed that even Edward was surprised by this, staring at the vein he had so lovingly kissed a moment before. A long silence followed after this, and she could feel his skin start to settle. They looked at one another. Clearly, the idea was still on their minds, but neither would bring it up. Finally, Edward shook his head.

"I'm sorry," he said. "This... that's such a selfish thought..." He sighed and rolled over to lay beside her. "I shouldn't be thinking like that." Bella let out a defeated breath, hands on her stomach.

"To be fair, it's crossed my mind too..."

"Yes... but you've got too much to lose." He shook his head. "No. We can't think about something like that. You've got too much to live for. You'll be going to college soon... You've got a lot ahead of you."

Bella nodded. All valid reasons. Turning to look at him, she took his hand. "Will you always be there?" He turned to her. "I know... that you can't _always_ be there but... I mean... Please promise me we won't drift apart or anything."

Edward considered it for a minute. He sighed. "You know... you can't have me for a lover forever. Eventually, you're going to have to find someone else."

She stared sadly. "But I don't want to find anyone else."

"Maybe not now. But Bella... there's no way this can be permanent. Not without..." A silence fell between them. Bella knew what the condition was. So, with a heavy sigh, she rolled onto her side, keeping her eyes on him.

"You're right," she admitted sadly. Still, she pet his cheek, her lips upturning to a smile. "But let's not think about that right now." Her thumb ran beneath his eye. "Let's just... let's just _exist._ For as long as we can. I know it can't be forever... But while we have it, let's enjoy it. Ok?"

His lips cracked into their own smile. Rolling back over, he held her close, kissing her nose affectionately. "You're wise beyond your years, Bella Swan." Slowly, he pushed her back to their original position, his gold eyes twinkling in the dim lamp light. "Now then... where were we?"

Bella could feel that air of playfulness once more hit the mood. She giggled, trailing her fingers around the outer lining of his lips. "Why, I believe you were going to heinous things to me, Mr. Vampire."

He laughed lowly, leaning down so that they could kiss. Edward's lips once more began to heat up, and Bella knew that she was doing her job right. Her fingers played with the tips of his hair, her body fitting into his arms.

She knew this couldn't last. She knew that eventually, they would have to separate at one point or another. Yet as they made love that night, Bella found that she didn't care. All things came to an end. She would have to accept this fact sooner or later. That warm body caressed her own, and she knew that there would never be a love like this again in her life. And she would be contented just knowing the fact that this man, this wonderful, loving man, was in her life, even if it was for a millisecond.

Bella knew that she would never love like this again.

TO BE CONTINUED IN... _BREAKING DARK DAWN_

COMING TO A FANFICTION SITE NEAR YOU

Yes, short and a little sappy, but it's a good way to cap it all off. I swear I'll get on BDD soon. Anywho... Predictions for the next book? See you in the near future!

~T.


	29. BREAKING DARK DAWN PREVIEW

All right. Here it is. The one we've all been waiting for. I PROMISE to keep as current as I possibly can with this one. (but keep in mind that I _am_ going to England this week for three months) This is the story I've been dying to redo for years. And I'm sure, it's the story you've been dying to see redone.

If you've been with me all the way through, thank you! It's been fun! If you're new, it's important to note: **if you haven't read the first three rewrites, you will be confused. This is not a rewrite that takes place after the real **_**Eclipse. **_Anywho... Also, it's important to note that **this is a rewrite. Therefore, it will **_**not**_** have that fairytale ending. In fact, it's going to be rather dark.** Just to forewarn you guys.

Now that that's all out of the way, let's get down to business.

**BREAKING DARK DAWN**

**One: My Life is Average**

**I**t was Friday. Bella's favorite day of the week. The one she looked forward to every night she went to bed. Her eyes stared at the clock on her classroom wall, her jittery leg bouncing up and down. Why couldn't the day be over all ready? Indeed, the daytime hours moved unusually slow today. Dragging on with unnecessary sludge just to irritate her. But she held strong. It would be night time soon. Her eyes switched from staring at the clock to glaring at the window beside her. The one day of the week Seattle decided not to be cloudy or rain, and it just _had_ to be Friday. Why? Oh_ why_? Taking a breath, she turned her eyes back around to the teacher in the front of the room. Professor Crawford, a wrinkly fellow with a quick tongue and dull eyes, was writing on the white board all the different methods of metaphors and similes. Normally, Bella wasn't such an unfocused student in college. But dammit, it was Friday. This was her excuse day. This was the day that Edward, her boyfriend of almost four years now, came to visit from Forks, and stay through the whole weekend.

Bella had moved after graduation to a small apartment her father helped her get that was close to North Seattle Community College. It wasn't exactly her dream school, but the financial aid was nice there, and she could focus on getting her general education out of the way before heading off to a university. Of course, the one she _did _want to get into cost well over thirty five thousand dollars a year, and was in California. So though she applied for a fall transfer, she didn't expect to get in. It was a mere flight of fancy that she toyed with every now and again. She would probably wind up going to Washington State or something along those lines. In any case, there she was, in class, waiting for the sun to go down so that her boyfriend could safely travel between Forks to Seattle to see her. She nibbled at her nails, staring at her own faint reflection in the window. Though her father thought she had, Bella didn't think she grew all too much after graduating. Her hair was still a frizzy mess, and she was still a tall, knobby, pale twig in jeans and worn out sneakers. She huffed to herself, pushing up a small strand of hair from her face. Turning back around, she saw with joy that the class was almost out. The faster class got out, the faster the sun went down, and the faster Edward arrived at her doorstep. Or rather, window sill.

Because yes, Edward was a vampire.

It was odd just how normal this was for Bella. Not to say that her life had been one long, boring routine with him. Not even close to one. After getting together with Edward, Bella's life was in danger countless lives, some of those encounters even _before_ they hooked up. She'd been kidnapped (many times), threatened, abused, nearly killed, enslaved and so on. Perhaps any normal person would have gotten out and gotten out fast. But Bella just supposed that she was a horse of a different color. Or that she was certifiably insane. Either one could be a likely option. For as many bad times she'd encountered with Edward, there were those good times. Those fantastic times. Those times that made her think she was dreaming. Not to mention the sex was phenomenal. Despite his anti-social nature at first, Edward turned out to be rather romantic in the years that followed their first two. Especially after she moved. He brought her flowers, read her old books, sometimes even let her head lay in his lap and did nothing but pet her hair. It seemed as though the distance made their relationship all the sweeter.

When the class finally did wrap up, Bella shot to her feet, grabbed her bag, and practically sprinted out of the room. A few people said goodbye to her as she headed towards the parking lot for students. She had made a few friendly acquaintances, but spent most of her time at school on her own. It wasn't like high school, where she saw and sat by the same people for each class. But it didn't bother her as much. Getting into her truck, she tossed her bag to the side and pulled out, humming and drumming her hands on the steering wheel. Finally, she'd have her Friday.

Her cellphone buzzed inside her pants pocket. Frowning, she stopped at the light ahead of her and answered. "Hello?"

"_Hey, Bella. We're short staffed tonight. Think you could come in?_"

Bella felt her stomach twist with disappointment. "Oh come on, Scott! You know the weekends are my days!" As she turned onto a different street, she heard her manager sigh.

"_Yeah, yeah, I know. But two people already called in sick. And Steph isn't back from her vacation yet._"

Bella rubbed her forehead before turning onto a different street. "Ok... Ok, fine. I'll come in. Just let me go home to change first."

"_Sure thing. Oh man, you're a life saver._"

After hanging up, Bella swore under her breath and continued on her way. Well so much for cleaning up before he got there. Pulling into her garage, she stormed to the lobby door of her apartment building before glaring up at the sunny sky. "This is all your fault," she pouted before going inside. Normally, Edward would come between three and five, after class got out for the week. The sun made sure that this wasn't happening today. Sucking on her teeth, she went up in the elevator and got to her apartment. The building wasn't all that impressive. Just a few floors of boxed living spaces that sat beside an independent book store. The walls crumbled slightly, and the light fixtures often needed replacing and maintenance. But it was what she could afford. She tossed her keys aside and went to her room where her uniform hung. After dressing, she glanced at herself in the mirror. Black apron, black baseball cap, white pants and a white shirt with a black jacket. Bella often wondered why anyone would want ice cream in such a cold place like Seattle, but it paid her bills. Before leaving, she went to her cluttered kitchen table and swiped a piece of paper and a pen from the spew around her. Scribbling down a note, it read:

_Edward_

_I'm sorry, I got called into work. _

_Pick me up at 11 when my shift ends? _

_Love, Bella_

Satisfied with it, she opened her dingy window and taped it to the front of the glass before closing it. Thankfully, the wind wasn't too strong, but just in case, she put extra tape around the corners to keep it from blowing away. Then, she grabbed her house keys and left the apartment, making her way down the street to the ice cream shop. She never needed to drive there – it was only a block away. The shop itself was a tiny little thing, smack dab in the middle of two other buildings that practically squeezed it close together. The familiar smell of waffle cones hit her immediately, and she smiled. Despite her irritation about being called in on a Friday, it was always nice to come in to that smell. She tossed her jacket into the break room before clocking in and grabbing an inventory clip board.

For the rest of the night, Bella was either behind the counter or taking stock in the back freezer. Mostly, she leaned against the work counter, staring at the ice cream cone clock in waiting. She watched as that little cherry swung back and forth beneath it, ticking away each second that she was there. Outside, the sun slowly went down, darkening the world around her. The windows taunted poor Bella, rubbing it in that she couldn't be home to wait for him. Finally, around ten thirty, when the end of her shift drew near, she was cleaning the work table when Scott alerted her.

"I think we might be out of peanut butter chips. Go check."

With a nod, Bella put the rag aside and headed back into the storage room. It was kept highly refrigerated to make sure nothing melted or got bad quickly. So, Bella grabbed her coat before heading in. Blowing through her lips, she checked each labeled box before coming to peanut butter chips. Opening it, she saw a few kiss-shaped toppings left, but for the most part, an empty box. Nodding, she made a mark on her clipboard and was about to leave, when she felt something rush by her. The first few times that this happened, Bella was caught off guard, and even a little scared. But now, all this scare tactic did was put a smile on her face. She turned around and grinned at the rest of the empty freezer. She looked up and down, but couldn't find anything. That's when she noticed that there was a significant amount of space between the shelf and the wall to her right. Biting her lip to keep her from smiling _too _much, Bella snuck over and then pulled out a box of Oreo crumbles. Edward's upside down head grinned at her, his hair sticking straight down as he kept himself on the wall. Bella giggled as he flashed his fangs, gold eyes twinkling in the florescent lighting above.

"You creeper. Get out of there." Despite this, she continued laughing as Edward scuttled out from behind the shelf, much like a crab would. Once he had the room to, Edward flopped to his feet and brought her into his cool arms. They embraced and kissed, Bella feeling her disappointment from earlier wash away into nothingness. When they finally did break apart, Edward gave a playful snap of his teeth, their noses pushed up together.

"Hi, beautiful," he cooed, hands on her hips. "How much longer till you get out?"

"About a half hour. You can wait until then."

"Well... I _guess_ if I _have_ to." He jumped back a bit as Bella pinched him, the two laughing with each other.

"It's not like I want to be here, Edward. Now quit it." Standing on her tip toes, they kissed again before Bella backed away. "Just hang out in here until I clock out. Then we'll head home."

"All right..." He brought her in closer for them to have yet another kiss, before the door swung open behind her. Bella spun around to see Scott standing there with a frown on his face. He was a few years older than Bella, with dark hair that he kept in a pony tail behind his neck. Two large plugs sat in each ear, a couple silver piercings around his lips and nose.

"Hey... you're taking a while. Are you ok?" His frown deepened. "You're not on your phone, are you? I heard you talking..."

Bella, now standing alone, smiled and put her hands in her coat pockets. "No, my phone's in the break room. I just got distracted, that's all. We're out of peanut butter chips."

Scott nodded. "We'll get some by tomorrow. Now come on back out and finish up."

"Right." After Scott left, Bella looked up to see Edward clinging to the ceiling. Deciding to play with him while he was up there, Bella undid the top button of her shirt and gave her rump a little shake. His eyes sparked with mischief and he licked his lips hungrily.

"No fair," he whispered. Bella laughed a bit before leaving the freezer, and letting Edward to his thoughts for now.

Finally, after a long and tiresome day, Bella clocked out, and met Edward outside. He probably rushed out when no one was looking. Not that they could see him when he went at such speeds. Skipping happily towards him, she wrapped her arms around his neck and the two kissed yet again. When they broke, Edward took her hand and they began down the side of the road. "Did you eat?" he asked.

"Didn't have time to. But I snacked a bit in the break room."

"Ah. So I'll be taking you to dinner then."

Bella laughed. "Edward, I'm still in my work clothes. Besides, it's really late." But Edward didn't hear of it, and turned them down to where a little hamburger diner sat. Once she smelled the food it served, Bella felt how hungry she really was. They took a corner table and Bella ordered a house special with french fies and a chocolate shake. It made her insides curl up just thinking about it. Bella leaned into Edward as they watched the grill through the kitchen window. The restaurant itself was a slim, long building, with tables near the windows, and a counter right in front of the blocked off kitchen. An order window sat between the grill and the cashier. With a loud yawn, Bella snuggled into Edward's cool neck. He pet her hair.

"Tired?" he asked softly.

"Just a little. But I can last tonight."

She felt his fingertip brush along her brow as he kissed her forehead. "We have tomorrow and Sunday, too. I don't want you over exerting yourself because of me."

"I know my limits."

"Uh-huh. Is that why I'm seeing this?" He gently prodded a bag beneath her eye. For the first time that night, he frowned. "You're working too hard, Bella. I don't like it."

"Oh my life isn't that hard." She laughed it off, touched by his concern. "It's not like I'm in a sweatshop, Edward. I'm keeping up with my bills and doing well in classes... I couldn't do that if I just slept all day like you." She poked his ribs just before her number was called. Now famished, she rushed to the counter, took her food and shake, before heading back to her table. Edward looped his arm around her waist as she ate.

"You know you don't have to live like this," he said, rubbing her thigh. "If you'd just let my family – "

"Edward, I already told you. Carlisle is _not_ going to pay my way through life. I need to learn how to be independent." Squirting ketchup on her meat patty, she plastered the bun back on before taking a huge bite out of the sandwich. It was like heaven to her empty innards.

Edward removed his hand only to prop his chin on the table, watching her eat. "We don't need money, Bella. I keep telling you this. It's not like we have to go to the grocery store every week."

"Well, you know that saying about teaching a man to fish, right?" Bella nodded before slurping down her thick, chocolate milk shake. "We're not going to be together forever, so I need to be able to function after we do go our separate ways."

Even though this was a subject that had been brought up before, Bella couldn't help but feel a tad depressed at that. They both decided early on that this could only last for so long. After a while, Bella would need to find someone more suitable for her. A _human_ lover. It was a sensible solution to have someone who she could really grow with. Still, it made her sad to think about it. Resting her burger down a bit, she stared at it, her happiness dwindling, if only for a moment. Then, she felt Edward's cold hand take her own. Her eyes snapped up as he kissed the rim of her knuckles.

"You're right," he said sweetly. "You're absolutely right, Bella." He ran his thumb against her fingers, making her smile. "It's just... you're so independent all ready. I guess I feel useless."

"You're not useless." Putting the hamburger aside, she curled into his arms, hugging his neck tightly. "My life would be so different if you weren't in it. I love these weekends together." She kissed his cheek.

Edward let out a little sigh before running his fingers through her fuzzy hair. "Eat your hamburger," he said with a smile. They kissed one last time before Bella turned back to her food, and happily devoured every single morsel on her plate.

That night, Bella wanted to make love, but she could barely keep her eyes open. So Edward vehemently refused, and instead, the two curled up in bed to do nothing but coddle until she fell asleep.

So there we are! Chapter 1! Don't forget to say hello in the review section!

~T.


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